I just got back from Ireland with my family. It was a wee bit cooler over there and we had an awesome trip.

Some of the biggest benefits I get from a trip like this one are perspective and clarity.

At the beginning of the trip I’m all stressed out from the craziness of getting out of town and putting out fires all the way to our destination.

However, by the time I’m heading back, my mind is on fire with ideas, plans, objectives. Stepping out of the day-to-day grind is a great catalyst for this because it gives you time to reflect.

I like to go on walks when I travel as it helps to free up my mind. I first try to think about what I’m grateful for, which always puts me in a good mood and gets me looking at my life as a whole.

If you do this enough, you start to gain perspective and clarity that so seem obvious, but in the hustle of day-to-day life, they get blocked from sight.

Sometimes I’ll listen to an audiobook while I walk, which also has an advantage of getting me thinking of new ideas and learning new lessons. Since I mostly read business, leadership, entrepreneurship, and self-help books, I often will read many at once, jumping around and letting my curiosity lead the way.

I often buy the paperback and audiobook so that I can consume the material in multiple ways. Right now I’m reading and/or listening to The 1% Rule, Conscious Capitalism, The Effective Executive, and The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck.

The disadvantage to audiobooks is having that moment of clarity or insight and not being able to write something down if you are out for a walk or driving in your car. I’ve been trying to get better by at least stopping the book and opening up my note app, so I can record a thought or idea before it’s lost. As much as I think I might remember it later, it most often vanishes.

Now that I’m back home, I’ve decided to continue my daily walks. I might jog a little too, as I have some extra padding around my mid-section after so many days of fish & chips accompanied by a pint (I love Smithwick’s – pronounced SMITH-icks).

My main purpose, however, is to keep the reflection and learning time I gave to myself during my trip. I don’t want to give that up. It was too beneficial on so many levels.

Do you ever feel lost, overwhelmed, underwhelmed, anxious about the future? We all do on occasion. Maybe try taking a morning or evening walk. You might think you have more important work to do, and I understand that. I fall into that same trap frequently. However, taking time to reflect on your work will help you see ways to work more effectively.

In other words, you may find your daily walks actually save you time and help you reach your goals faster.

Cheers

Mike Turner

Co-Founder: Impact Club Boise
Host: Idaho Speakeasy
Collaborator: Value Drive Approach
Founder: Front Street Brokers
Author: Agent Entrepreneurs
Voice: 208-340-8399