I find that walking does open up my mind to new ideas. Moderate exercise stimulates the production of so-called “happy hormones”.
These include:
• Dopamine - Associated with a sense of well-being, as well as learning, memory, and creativity
• Oxytocin - Promotes trust, empathy, and bonding in relationships
• Serotonin - Helps regulate your mood
• Endorphins - The body’s natural pain reliever
Laughing, socializing, and cooking are also shown to boost happy hormones.
source: healthline
The effect of these hormones on creativity is difficult to gauge. However the following Stanford study came up with a novel idea. They measured participants’ ability to generate creative solutions to given problems. For example, they were tasked with finding alternative uses for a given object.
We have held walking meetings in the past, with mixed results. As the article below says, they can result in a refreshing openness between colleagues, as well as a better flow of ideas.
On the other hand:
not all team members are on the same page physically
complex topics require focus that is unachievable while walking
a high standard of professionalism is compromised
confidentiality can be shaky
recording and documentation isn’t really possible
We found occasional walking meetings most useful in small groups for general brainstorming.
We do this from time to time, but it is usually spontaneous and with a small group. I think it depends on a company’s individual culture. We’re pretty casual in general, so taking a trek outside together isn’t really a big leap.
