My main form of exercise is walking the dog. I really resent it sometimes, especially if the dog has been doing a real stand over at home, in my face, throwing the lead across the floor in my direction etc. Not subtle.
But over the last couple of years I’ve started to really appreciate the space, some thinking and reflecting time and some much needed exercise. There is even a Canine Charter for Human Health
But that’s not really my point. Walking the dog does something to my synapses, my mind starts to think differently, making links, connections, creating ideas.
Yesterday I conducted a mentoring session on the phone while walking the dog. It had a flow, that I am sure if I had recorded would be a very interesting set of stories. The dog walking helped the process hugely.
I have a friend who sometimes comes and walks the dog with me, and we have a mentoring session on route.
When I was a radio journalist I used to interview farmers for a programme. They were shy men often. The best way we found to interview as to walk across the farm, side by side, rather than me confronting them with the microphone.
Being on the move helps generate great stories.
Its a great antidote to sitting in front of a blank screen, stuck in our head.