National Walking Day is coming up on April 5 and we can’t wait to celebrate with you! You don’t have to do anything to prepare other than register your walking team, to help us plan the day better. However, if you’re looking for ways to up your walking game, we have five simple ways you could add more steps to your day.
Whether your goal is 10,000 steps or more (or even less – you do you), these are guaranteed tips to get those feet a moving. While we’re sure you’ve probably thought of a few, we hope you learn more tricks to add to your how-to walking stash.
It’s as simple as it sounds – no matter where you’re going (to work, the grocery store, a friend’s house), if the distance is less than one mile, then walk! Walking a single mile will add approximately 2,000 steps to your day. Add just one walking mile trip to your day, in addition to all your other steps and you’ve already made a significant impact.
According to the NYC Department of Health, people who commute by public transit achieve twice as much exercise as those who choose to drive. So where do you rack up those extra steps? It’s usually walking to and from transit as part of your commute. But don’t worry, you aren’t adding significant time to your day. On average, public transit users walk an average of 19 minutes per day. 19 minutes equals a mile – give or take – and that means an additional 2,000 steps! For more fun active transportation facts, check out our infographic.
We know we’ve talked about walking meetings before, but why not take a walk for yourself when you need to do a little brainstorming. Everyone has their best thinking spots – for me, it’s anytime I’m in water. Genius, just strikes. But at the office, sometimes my best ideas happen when I step away from my desk. You’ll also get some of that coveted fresh air that everyone raves about.
In case you didn’t know – Arlington Public Schools (APS) has a goal to decrease the SOV (single occupancy vehicle) rate to 75% by 2021. It currently sits at 83%, but you could help contribute to the APS goal by walking your child to school. It’s a double win with helping the County and getting in your extra steps! Let’s not mention, you’ll get that little bit of extra chit-chat time with your kid in the morning where you can help them mentally prepare for the day.
Make National Walking Day your trial run (or walk) for how you’ll incorporate walking into your office culture every day. A 10-minute walk works wonders for your health, both mental and physical. Whether you walk at lunch or really any time of day, those extra steps will help you reach your goal.
Photo Credit: Sam Kittner/Kittner.com for Arlington Transportation Partners