If you spend any time in the corporate world, you know meetings can be some of the most painful moments of your day.  People ramble, go off-topic, fall asleep etc.  It’s like Jury Duty.     

I think I may have fixed it; I just had my first ‘Walking Meeting.’  It was absolutely awesome.  A colleague and I discussed the business at hand while strolling our work campus.  Got some great exercise, accomplished what we needed to discuss, and stumbled across our new favorite thing.  Even sent it as a tip to our HR dept. to send out organizational wide. 

 Walking Meeting Benefits

1. Exercise
   How many miles could you walk in your typical 1 hr Department meeting?  Our meeting was about a half hour and we covered about a mile. 
2. Everyone Engaged
   Even if the discussion doesn’t pertain to that meeting member, they still have to keep up… literally. 
3. No ‘Dozers’
   None of the head-bobbing, slumber-land bound meeting members.  (Unless of course you work with Narcoleptics in which case, keep your eye on them.) 
4. ‘Green’ – Save Power / Resources
   With all the hype about being ‘Green,’ your workplace sustainability task-force should be all over this.  No power, rooms, or energy is required.  Just grab your materials and go.  
5. Wakes You Up
   Feeling a bit drowsy?  Stop browsing YouTube – A walking meeting will get you moving, get your blood going and will energize you.  Oh, and you won’t have to worry about quick-minimizing when your boss walks by. 
6. No Fluff
   If people start rambling off-topic, just pick up the pace.  Hard to talk when you’re out of breath.   

Preparing for a Walking Meeting

1. Print off everything you need to discuss
   You’ll be on the move.  Unless you’re super savvy and can time a print-off to spit out as you walk by… have it ready to go. 
2. Ensure you have comfy shoes
   This is key.  No dress shoes.  Wear Tennis Shoes, Sporty Shoes or anything you’re willing to walk 1+ miles in.  If you don’t like wearing these types of shoes to work, keep a pair hidden in your desk.  Besides, if an emergency arises, and you need to walk somewhere – you’ll be thankful you stashed away some Nike’s.     
3. Ensure nobody will get heat stroke
   I live in Vegas, post 10am its 110 degrees.  Walking Meetings go down at 8am.  PERIOD. 

 Power Walking,
–D