Hate all of those meetings? Take a walk!

Ah, the dreaded meeting.

Hunched around a table, shuffling uncomfortably in awkward office chairs. Sedentary. Inactive. Sluggish.

Wow, wouldn’t you rather go for a walk?

Then go ahead!

“There is so much research that talks about how detrimental prolonged sitting is to your health,” said Carrie Clyde, YSU wellness coordinator. “So, instead of sitting around that table or behind a desk, get up and walk.”

A “walking meeting” is simply what it sounds like: Instead of meeting in an office or boardroom, conduct the meeting during a walk instead.

Last year, Clyde implemented walking meetings for her Wellness Steering Committee. The small group meets at the Kilcawley fountain and walks the perimeter of campus. Or, when the weather turns bad, they walk the indoor track at the WATTS.

“It’s been a real hit, and I’m hoping more people on campus will take up the concept,” she said.

Walking, Clyde said, is the easiest form of physical activity that almost everyone can do, and it’s great for the body and mind.

It also can result in more productive meetings. A recent article in Harvard Business Review said that research finds that walking leads to increases in creative thinking and more honest exchanges with employees. A good walk also can help break down barriers between supervisor and subordinate or between coworkers.

The WATTS track is open for employee walking from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. For more information on employee wellness programs, visit here.

Caption: Members of the YSU Wellness Steering Committee, from the left, Ryan McNicholas and Brandy Schumacher of Campus Rec and Wellness Coordinator Carrie Clyde, participate in a "walking meeting" at WATTS.