Working walking

Professor Muir Gray describes the way he integrates walking into his day not just by commuting partly on foot but also by making phone calls and even meetings while walking.

I've been thinking that walking could be a good way of holding a pastoral conversation. It's possible to find quiet places where one isn't overheard, it reduces the intensity that sometimes makes silences difficult and a circular walk makes it easier to protect time boundaries.

I've never really been able to use a mobile phone for ministry - it's intrusive to take calls when with people and on the move I just don't have the tools (email etc) to hand to refer to notes. But not all calls have to be about complicated transactions. I do find that I don't make the "how are you doing?" type of calls that I probably should. When in the study there's just too much to do. But walking to meetings and using this time to make this sort of call could be a way of integrating the strengthening of relationships into the strengthening of my fitness.