Where did all our walking go? 5 everyday opportunities we've outsourced without realising it
Somewhere along the way, without even noticing, many of us started walking less in our daily lives.
This wasn’t an intentional choice, nor was it because we stopped caring about how active we were. It was because modern life made it easy not to.
Each innovation has quietly, invisibly removed small numbers of steps from our everyday routines. What once kept our joints supple, our balance sharp, and our strength ticking over has been engineered away in favour of comfort and convenience.
It’s so easy to miss, or to shrug off as unimportant.
But when those small, regular movements disappear, they leave more than just empty steps behind. They chip away at the very capabilities (strength, stability, resilience) that underpin our independence, confidence and health as we age.
Awareness is power
Thankfully, we have a choice. A choice to simply start noticing. Tuning in to where walking has quietly vanished from your day, and choosing, where you can, to bring it back.
Walking to the shop for milk instead of driving.
Strolling to post a letter instead of dropping it in a box on the way to work.
Taking a phone call while pacing in the garden rather than sitting still.
These aren't long walks or exercise sessions that might feel too much to add into already busy lives, instead they're tiny acts of reclaiming something we were made to do - and, if we’re lucky enough, still can.
When you start noticing the opportunities around you, you can’t ‘unsee’ them! When you add them back in, you start feeling the difference. The ease builds, you feel stronger and, my favourite, the lift in mood after even the shortest stroll. You don’t get any easier way to re-set during a tough day.
A few places our steps disappeared
Noticing where our everyday walking opportunities have gone can spark small changes:
🚗 Short car journeys that could easily be walked; to the postbox, or a neighbour’s house.
🛗 Lifts and escalators replacing stairs - don’t just stand there and let them take away the benefits.
☕ Meeting friends in cafes instead of going on walks with coffees to go.
🖥 Meetings online rom our seats instead of being taken on the move, or back in real life having to walk there and get real connection!
🛒 Groceries brought to our door with one click from our screens - instead occasionally go to the supermarket, or better still walk around some local independent shops and carry it home.
You don’t need to overhaul your life to bring movement back, just notice one opportunity, and say yes to it.
Every step counts
This is true, but if we’re chasing specific step count goals or hitting perfect numbers, we’re missing the point. Instead of creating goals to make each day a success or failure, choose to weave steps back into life in ways that feel natural, joyful and that will always be far more sustainable in the long run.
Every reclaimed walk, every extra trip up the stairs, every stroll around the block after dinner, is a quiet investment in your future mobility, strength and freedom.
The beauty is, you can start today, with whatever you already have, wherever you already are.
This May is National Walking Month in the UK. Every year I clock my own kilometers, with not set target, just a promise to myself to walk in some way each day. For every km I donate money to a favourite charity. If you’d like to be accountable, then why not do the same and tag me on Instagram @reclaim.movement with how you get along. I love seeing your walking pics and we’re always better together!
If you’d like to watch a short YouTube video that shows a couple of tips on walking technique, then click here: Want to walk more efficiently? 2 simple body adjustments you can implement today
