Why walking works – and how to get into the habit..

Earlier this year I wrote about how so many people stride into the new year filled with hope that this year, unlike previous years, they will keep their new year’s resolutions – promises of getting fit, losing weight or generally looking after their health better. Sadly, for most people those promises don’t stick – research shows that 80 per cent of people will have given up those new year’s resolutions by February. There was even some research done by fitness app Strava, analysing millions of activities, that identified the second Friday in January as ‘Quitter’s Day’. I wrote about how setting SMART goals can help us keep our promises and this week have been thinking about how to make getting fit, which is the most popular of new year’s resolutions, easy. 

A bit of my own research led me to the very underrated power of walking, which I started properly committing to last year, and after a couple of false starts is now part of my daily routine.

Walking is one of the easiest ways to improve your health. You don’t need special equipment (I am not talking hiking here), a gym membership or a major commitment of time and it still delivers real results. Even short walks count. When done every day, walking supports your body and mind in ways that add up faster than most people expect.

The health benefits of walking, no matter the distance

A common myth – one that I think we all buy into, both those who regularly hit the gym and those who view the gym with horror – is that exercise only counts if it’s intense or long. In reality, research consistently shows that short, regular walks improve health in meaningful ways. A 10-15 minute walk can lower blood sugar after meals, improve circulation and reduce stiffness in your joints. Do that once or twice a day, and you’re already supporting your heart, muscles, and metabolism. 10 minutes! You could potentially do that up and down the corridors of your workplace or a lap around the neighbourhood if you work from home. 

Walking is also gentle on the body. Unlike high-impact workouts, it puts minimal stress on your joints while still strengthening them over time. That makes it sustainable – not just for a few weeks, but for years. And building long term habits is what really gets results.

Walking is good for our mental health

The benefits of walking aren’t just physical. Walking has a calming effect on the nervous system, helping to reduce stress and anxiety. Even a short walk outside can lower cortisol levels. Cortisol is the hormone produced when we’re feeling stressed. It’s beneficial in small bursts, to get us through a brief period of stress as it triggers the body to produce a burst of glucose, perfect for that ‘flight or flight’ moment built in to help us respond quickly when necessary, but long-term non-stop cortisol production from chronic stress can disrupt sleep, weaken the immune system, increase appetite, cause anxiety and lead to digestive issues, weight gain and even skin problems. Even a 10 minute walk triggers a drop in cortisol levels and improves mood, as at the same time your body releases endorphins. Next time, after one of ‘those’ stress-filled meetings, instead of heading back to your desk, head off on a brisk walk and literally walk it off. You see people (still!) disappearing for a cigarette or a vape, why not disappear for a 10-minute walk?

You don’t need a scenic trail to get these benefits. A walk around the corridors, down a quiet street, or up and down the garden still helps reset your mind and reduce stress, while supporting heart, muscle and joint health.

Short walks add up faster than you think

If you walk for 10 minutes three times a day, that’s 30 minutes of movement – the same total time recommended in most fitness guidelines. 

Short walks are also easier to recover from, which means you’re more likely to do them again tomorrow. This is why walking is so effective for building momentum. It lowers the barrier to starting, and starting is usually the hardest part.

How to build a walking habit you won’t quit

Research makes clear the most common reason people give up on making change is that they aim too high, too fast. Building in change until it’s a habit, not a chore, is the key to success. To make a walking stick, start smaller than you think you need to.

Choose a walk so easy it feels almost pointless – five minutes, one street, one loop around the building. This removes the mental resistance that leads to skipping days. Once the habit exists, you can extend it naturally.

Next, tie walking to something that already happens. Walk after lunch. Walk while making a phone call. Go the long way round to your meeting. Take the stairs down instead of the lift (you don’t need to take the stairs up – yet) Habits stick better when they’re attached to existing routines.

Focus on consistency, not results (at first)

It’s tempting to watch for quick changes in weight or fitness, but those results come slowly and aren’t immediately measurable. Early on, the real goal is consistency. Showing up regularly – even for short walks – teaches your brain that this is part of your life now. Your brain LOVES a habit!

Progress often shows up in small things that you’re best not looking out for: better sleep, improved mood, less stiffness, more energy during the day. These are signs it’s working, even if they’re easy to overlook. Make walking the point, not the results.

Make walking feel good

Finally, make walking enjoyable enough that you don’t dread it. Listen to a podcast, music, or nothing at all. Walk alone or with someone else. Change routes when you’re bored. 

I make a point of walking every day and as a result have gotten into podcasts. I used to listen to all business-oriented podcasts, thinking that I might as well get some work-related benefit from my time walking, but soon switched to podcasts that are wholly entertaining – comedy, history, story-telling (even a bit of true crime) – and have even been known to throw in an extra lap of my route just to listen to the end. I have music that always lifts my spirits too, though I need to be careful not to be singing along when I pass people in the street. Stories and music lift me away from them every day, triggering more endorphins (especially my party mix) and when I get home or back to the office, I feel good. And all for the sake of 15 minutes of me-time. 

Eddie – Friday 30th January 2026. (Images used from JP & Brimelow marketing team).