Walking Meetings
Taking a call or a one-to-one on the move instead of at a desk — an easy way to add movement to the working day without losing time.
Overview
A walking meeting simply means taking a phone call, a catch-up or a one-to-one on the move instead of sitting at a desk. For many people it is one of the easiest ways to add movement to a working day that is otherwise spent seated, because the time is already committed — you are just spending it differently. It suits conversations that do not need a screen, and it can make a discussion feel more relaxed and open.
The appeal is that it removes the usual trade-off between being productive and being active. A short call becomes a short walk, and several across a week add up. It will not suit every meeting, and it works best for one-to-ones or calls where you do not need to take notes — but as an occasional habit it is a gentle, low-effort way to sit less.
What helps
- Uses time you have already committed, so it costs no extra hours.
- Best suited to one-to-ones and calls that do not need a screen.
- Helps break up long, seated stretches of the working day.
- Can make conversations feel more relaxed and less formal.
A note on this guidance
How to start
- 1Pick one regular call that does not need a screen and take it walking.
- 2Choose a familiar, low-traffic route so you can focus on the conversation.
- 3Start with shorter calls and build up as it feels natural.
- 4If walking for longer stretches is uncomfortable, check with a qualified professional first.
Goals it supports
Become more active
Add regular, gentle movement to your everyday life and build up from a sedentary start at your own pace.
Build an active lifestyle
Make movement a natural, lasting part of daily life through activities and habits you genuinely enjoy.
Build healthy habits
Using sport and routine to make regular activity a lasting part of everyday life.
Reduce stress
Find calmer, healthier ways to unwind through regular movement, gentle mind-body activity and time outdoors.
Improve mental wellbeing
Use regular, enjoyable activity to support your mood, connection and sense of wellbeing as one healthy habit among many.
Frequently asked questions
Do walking meetings really count as activity?
Any movement that replaces sitting can be a useful part of an active day, and many people find walking meetings an easy way to add some. They are not a substitute for the activity you enjoy in its own right, but they help you sit a little less. As with any change, listen to your body and build up gently.
Explore across the knowledge base
Follow the threads that connect Walking Meetings to the rest of SocialSportHub.
Barriers
- Sitting all dayWhen work keeps you at a desk, the priority is breaking up long sitting and adding movement around the working day.
- No timeWhen your days are full, sport has to fit into small windows rather than replace them — short, flexible activity that adds up.
- Worried about costWhen money is tight, free and low-cost activity — walking, running, bodyweight training — proves that sport does not have to be expensive.
- Low motivationWhen motivation is hard to find, the fix is rarely more willpower — it is making the activity smaller, easier and more enjoyable so starting is simple.
- An unpredictable scheduleWhen no two weeks look the same, sport needs to be flexible and portable rather than tied to a fixed class time.
People
- Busy professionalsHow time-efficient sport can fit a packed schedule to protect fitness, energy and stress relief.
- Remote workersHow sport can fit a work-from-home life — replacing the movement a commute used to provide and breaking up long spells at a home desk.
- Office workersHow sport can offset long hours of sitting and screen time to support mobility, energy and stress relief.
- Shift workersHow sport can fit irregular hours and changing sleep — portable, flexible activity that adapts to a rota rather than a fixed timetable.
Lifestyle
- At the officeWays to stay active around a desk job — walking, mobility breaks and stretching that fit into a working day.
- 5 minutesEven five minutes counts — a quick movement snack that breaks up sitting and keeps a little activity in a packed day.
- WeekendMaking the most of weekend free time for longer, more social or outdoor activities.
- 15 minutesShort, focused bursts of movement you can fit into a spare 15 minutes, with no long session required.
- On a rainy dayIndoor options for wet weather — pool sessions, indoor courts, home routines and gym work when going out is off.
Knowledge Atlas
Training methods
- Active Recovery SessionsActive recovery sessions are deliberately easy bouts of gentle movement — an easy walk, spin or swim — used on lighter days to keep moving without adding hard work.
- Steady-State CardioSteady-state cardio means holding one comfortable, continuous pace for the whole session, building an aerobic base without the peaks of interval work.
- Endurance Base TrainingEndurance base training is an extended phase of mostly easy, steady aerobic work that lays the aerobic foundation the rest of a training plan builds on.
- Circuit TrainingCircuit training moves you through a series of stations back to back with little rest, blending strength and cardio into one time-efficient session.
- FartlekFartlek — Swedish for 'speed play' — mixes faster and easier efforts freely and by feel within one continuous session, blending steady and interval work.
Recovery
- Active recoveryActive recovery means very easy, gentle movement on lighter days to keep the body moving without adding hard training stress.
- WalkingWalking is simple, low-intensity movement that supports everyday activity and gentle recovery for almost anyone.
- Gentle mobilityGentle mobility work means moving your joints smoothly through a comfortable range to help you feel loose and move well.
- Rest daysRest days are planned days off from training that give the body and mind time to recover between harder sessions.
- Gentle stretchingGentle stretching means easing into comfortable stretches and holding them in a relaxed way to help you feel less stiff.