How A Walk Can Help to Relieve Work Stress

 

Did you know a walk can help relieve work stress? Walking has many health benefits. It boosts both your physical and your mental health. Walking keeps bones and muscles healthy and helps you to maintain your weight. A walk will also reduce stress and help you to sleep better. Have a look at this article from Bupa about the benefits of walking, how to get started and what you should wear. Now it’s not getting dark so early if you can try and fit in a walk after work. It will alleviate the stresses of the day and help you to arrive back home feeling more relaxed. If you don’t want to drive, pick a route close to home. If you’re already in your car driving from work, stop at a popular walking spot. Here are some suggestions to find a walk to help relieve work stress.

Use your desktop

A great walking app is gps-routes.co.uk – you can go into the website and in their search walks box type in where you live. The website will then come up with a list of walking routes you can use with distances from 1 mile to 15 miles. For example, when we typed in Camberley, Google gave us the details of Lightwater Park, Crowthorne, and Bagshot Park. Another way to find a walk is to google walks in your area. If you google ‘walks’ and then type in where you live, you’ll also come up with some useful results. For example, we typed in ‘walking routes Camberley.’ We then found a walk along Tomlinscote Way at Frimley Fuel Allotments and another walk through Swinley Forest. We also found 9 short walks in Surrey with details for walks from 1km to 4.5 km in places like Hawley Meadows.

Staying close to home

If you prefer to stay close to home, you can walk around your local park. Or take a stroll along the High Street. Instead of rushing, take the time to observe the colours, smells, and products in the shop windows. You could also take a walk around the streets where you live. See if you can find any particularly attractive front gardens.

Use your phone

If you have an iPhone, you can download the Footpath Route Planner. All you have to do is trace a route using your finger and the app will show you trails and walking routes you can do. Another app that can be used by Android and Apple phones is Go Jauntly. There are over 700 walking routes throughout the UK. For walkers based in London there’s also information about the walking time to your nearest tube station.

Ask your local council

Many local councils have guided walking routes. For example, Surrey Heath Walking for Health provide walks from 45 minutes to one and half hours throughout the Surrey district. Many of these walks start in the morning so they would be ideal if you have a day off, or you’re retired. Surrey Heath also has Rambler’s wellbeing walks. You can find the details on their Events Page.

Learn about local history

Have a walk to a local landmark, sculpture, or war memorial. Before your walk, visit your library and find out about its history because that will make the landmark more interesting when you see it. You can also look up the local history of where you live, online.

Boost your energy

If you don’t feel you have the energy for a walk after a long day, maybe you need a supplement to give you an energy boost. The vitamins in the Vitamin B group are all known to help alleviate tiredness and give you more energy. Have a chat with your pharmacist to find the best supplement to suit your needs.