A few weeks ago I started going to the grocery store on foot, partly because of my car’s poor reliability and also because it was the only kind of physical exercice I was allowed to do after a surgery. I discovered that I was getting a lot of creative ideas about things that worried me or about some projects I had in mind at the moment. I ended up doing it almost everyday since and always returned home with something nice to try. Being far from everything lets me really concentrate on one thing without being distracted by TV, Facebook, emails, Youtube, etc.
Being alone is pretty important here so you’re not getting into a conversation but just thinking about something that matters to you. It can also be nice to listen to some music so you’re not getting distracted by every little sound around you, keep something to take notes with you whether it’s a pad and pen or your smartphone (if you can resist the urge to do something else with it) and you’re good to go. I recommend walking for at least half an hour so you can get deep in your subject.
Some people would say that any exercise could work but I do not agree. For instance it is impossible for me to do it at the gym because I must concentrate on counting reps and keeping a good form throughout each set. I can’t do it while running either as I keep focus on my breathing. My personal preference is walking because I have no need to think about it while doing it but you can try other ways if you think it could work for you.
Most of the time I walk in the evening after sunset so it’s calmer in town. It also helps me to reduce stress and just relax while burning a few calories. I think most people could benefit from it if they would take some time to do it.