Why You Should Forget Your Headphones & Walk To Work This Spring

In an age where it’s common to see people drive as close as they can to the gym doors. Only to walk on a treadmill once inside. You should consider ditching your commute and walk to work this spring. We know this can be completely unreasonable for some, and trust us, we completely understand the desire to sometimes leave the car and walk. But Half of Brits living outside of London have to travel for 15 mins to get to work. 15 mins, almost not worth getting in the car for. There are so many benefits to getting a little more active so if possible give it a go.

A 40-minute walk will burn 220 calories, 440 there and back. If you do work out, how much exercise does that usually take you? Do this Monday to Friday, that’s a whopping 2,200 calories. Burning calories isn’t the only benefit. By leaving the car at home your not burning fuel (saving money) and preventing any pollution which can be an issue in the city, and if you are travelling in the city I’m sure the traffic is something you would love to cut out. If you don’t drive you’ll save cash on that public transport journey you’re sick to death of.

Don’t get detracted by the colourful screen in your pocket. Just leave it there, better yet turn it off. Any missed calls, say what we used to say in a time long forgotten, ‘sorry I was on my way into work’. Leave the headphones as well, the songbirds will be singing their hearts out trying to attract a mate for the summer. It’s something that can be easily forgotten but just take a second and appreciate it, it’s surprising how uplifting the sound of nature can be on your way to work. Take a shortcut through the park, the morning is the perfect time to catch a glimpse of plenty wildlife. Get some sunshine on your face and some Vitamin D, something we could all do with after what seems like the longest winter.

Maybe start with a few days when the sun is beaming, maybe just start with a week but you’ll soon find it not a chore at all and reap the rewards. Being present in the moment and enjoying what’s around you can have huge mental and physical health benefits. We’ve found it’s really improved out general day to day happiness, hence why we are encouraging others to take part.

Living Streets, a charity set up to encourage people to get walking back into their lives, have recently conducted a questionnaire of the UK biggest cities to find which ones are the most friendly to walking. Edinburgh, Sheffield and London are the top 3. Our hometown of Manchester came 11th against the other cities which we found surprising. See where your city ranks and get involved in their survey.

Let us know if you ditched the car and hid the tech. How did you find it? Any suggestions for others? What did you come across that you have never done before?