Productivity tip #4: Walk fast.

I know it sounds simple and stupid, but if you want to be more productive, walk fast.

I am often teased by colleagues because I walk down the halls at breakneck speeds. It’s assumed by many that I am incredibly busy, and while this may be true, my decision to walk fast is a conscious one that I make in order to recapture time.

I walk fast whenever possible. Parking lots, grocery stores, sidewalks, and malls are great places to walk fast and recapture time, but there are many, many more.

If you see me in any of these places and many more, you will probably see me moving faster than the people around me.

Not only does the increased speed provide me with an elevated heart rate and a tiny bit of exercise, but I simply get places sooner than everyone else. Almost every day, I park my car and walk past people who are sauntering through the parking lot as if it were adorned with fine art. As if it were a place they wanted to be.

Do I save much time in the process?

Over the course of a day, a week, a month or a lifetime, the answer is yes. Absolutely. The amount of time I save in each parking lot, hallway, and grocery store is minimal, but it adds up quickly. 

Walking fast is not something that comes natural to me. I must constantly remind myself to walk faster. It’s easy to stroll. It’s normal to adopt the speed of those around you. It’s even a little awkward to be passing people as if we are on a race track.

But it saves me time.

It gets me back to the places where I want to be.

It gets me back to the people who I want to be with.

Five or ten extra minutes with my children are a gift. Don’t discount these precious few minutes for the sake of conformity or ease.