On a scale of 1 – 10, how would you rate your habit of walking for exercise?

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. See full disclosure here.

In Bible times people walked for miles and miles as a part of normal life.

Yet, in modern society, we spend most of our time sitting down.

That is not good for our bodies leading to a host of health problems.

This is probably one of the most important reasons to make an effort to move around and go for a walk each and every day.

But that’s easier said than done.

Most of us sit for our devotional time, we sit at work, we eat sitting down, and to be honest, all we want to do when we come home from a hard’s day work is plop down at the computer and surf for a bit – and I don’t mean water surfing!

Getting and staying in the habit of walking each day can be a bit of a challenge.

However, that’s exactly what we need to do.

We need to get in the habit of going for that walk just like we’re in the habit of brushing our teeth twice a day or taking out the trash on Thursdays.

Once it’s a well-ingrained habit, it won’t be as much of a challenge to make sure we go for that daily walk.

Here are six tips to help you get into the habit of walking every day.

Walking Tip #1: Find a route you can do by simply walking out your door.

It needs to be convenient to just lace up your shoes and start walking.

Your favorite walk may offer beautiful views, but if it’s a 30 minute drive there and back, that’s not going to work so well.

Walking outdoors give you the added benefit of breathing fresh air and getting some Vitamin D from the sun.

So find that easy route today.

Walking Tip #2: Take the same route every day.

This helps form that habit.

It’s also encouraging to notice that you can walk the same loop faster or with less effort over time.

It proves that you’re making a difference and are getting stronger and increasingly fitter.

If you want, you can walk your course in reverse order to mix it up.

Walking Tip #3: Listen to your favorite music, podcast, or audio books if you are a multi-tasker. 

It will make the time go by faster and give you something else to look forward to.

You can even use your favorite media as a way to bribe yourself to go for your daily walk.

Let’s say you have a couple of podcasts you enjoy.

Save them for your walks and only let yourself listen to them while you’re walking. It’s a great incentive to get out there even on days when you’re not feeling it.

I like to plan my “learning” times for my walking times.

Another and even better option is to spend the time praying . . .  or thanking God for the nature all around you.

These options help you avoid the trap of just letting your thoughts wander aimlessly.

Walking Tip # 4: Consider walking with someone else.

Talk to a friend or neighbor into becoming your walking buddy.

Not only is it more fun to walk when you have someone to talk to, it also has some built-in accountability.

It’s much harder to skip a walking workout when you know that someone is waiting for you and relying on you to join her.

I like to plan different walks with neighbors to help me get to know them better and deepen our relationships.

Another idea is to walk with your spouse or with your children for added family time.

Walking Tip #5: When you can’t do #1 or #4, just walk in your house or business location on your lunch break.

Your home or your basement is probably big enough to walk a circuit somehow.

If you are in an apartment, you can walk the halls and stairs.

If you are at work, walk the hall of other floors. For an added bonus, use the stairs to ascend/descend. Or walk the streets outside.

Be creative. Don’t let obstacles like inclement weather or not having a treadmill derail you.

You can speed walk or vary walking fast and walking slow.

It is probably best not to just saunter though. You do want this to benefit your heart.

Walking Tip #6: Aim for 30 -45 minutes 4 – 6 days a week. 

 In Younger Next Year, the authors speak about exercising for a minimum of 45 minutes at a time.

I walk 45 minutes every day around 1 p.m. That is also my time to listen to podcasts or send messages on my phone to my clients.

This gives me a break from my computer work too as it divides my work time well.

Pedometers or apps on your phone are a great way to keep track of your steps and motivate you to improve.

I have some friends who won’t go to bed until they have put in 5,000 or even 10,000 steps every day.

Here are my favorite walking shoes from Merrell.

Keep walking.

Walking is one of the best exercises for better health.

Share in the comments about your own walking habits.