Time For A Walk

I don't know about you, but I've been spending a lot of time in one spot for the past few weeks. It's great that I've got a workspace with a stand-up desk and enough pixels to keep all the text I need to read big enough to see, but I don't even get to walk to the various conference rooms anymore. And that's a problem for me. No changes of scenery. No break in the pattern. Less exercise. So what's a developer to do?

One option is to take an older idea and update it for today's WDP times. The walking meeting. We've probably all had them. Sometimes it was a 1:1 with the boss, sometimes it was walking down the block to grab a cup of coffee that isn't from the office kitchen. Obviously we can't do things quite the same way now, but in some ways it's gotten easier to have a walking meeting. The meeting is already on zoom, so location doesn't matter. Especially if it's a brainstorming session or a 1:1, it might not matter where you are. Just grab your headphones and phone and take a walk during the meeting.

And, there are real benefits. A change in scenery. A little exercise. Fresh air. Some direct sunlight and vitamin D. And there's evidence that people are more creative when they're moving. Even back in the office when I got stuck on a problem a few circles around the floor often got me out of my rut and moving towards the solution again. Give it a shot. It can't hurt.