Month: April 2023

What are 10 Benefits of Executive Coaching

Coaching is a process of supporting individuals or teams in achieving their personal or professional goals. It involves a skilled coach who helps the client identify their strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for growth and development, and then provides guidance and feedback to help them improve.

Executing coaching is important for several reasons. First, coaching can help individuals or teams overcome challenges and obstacles that may be hindering their progress. By providing feedback and guidance, a coach can help clients identify areas where they need to improve and develop strategies to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals.

Second, coaching can help individuals or teams develop new skills and competencies that are necessary for success. A coach can help clients identify their strengths and weaknesses and develop a plan to build on their strengths while addressing areas of weakness.

Third, coaching can help individuals or teams stay focused and motivated. A coach can help clients set clear goals and develop a plan to achieve them, and then provide ongoing support and encouragement to help them stay on track. Enable-HR International is one of good institute to provide professional executive coaching.

Finally, coaching can help individuals or teams build self-awareness and confidence. By providing feedback and guidance, a coach can help clients see their strengths and potential, and develop the confidence to take on new challenges and pursue their goals.

In summary, executing coaching is important because it helps individuals and teams overcome obstacles, develop new skills, stay focused and motivated, and build self-awareness and confidence. By working with a skilled coach, clients can achieve their goals and reach their full potential.

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

Executive coaching is a process of providing personalized and one-on-one support to executives and leaders to help them develop their skills, overcome challenges, and achieve their professional goals. The benefits of executive coaching are numerous, and here are 10 of them:

  1. Improved leadership skills: Executive coaching helps leaders improve their leadership skills, including communication, delegation, and decision-making, leading to better performance and results.
  2. Increased self-awareness: Through coaching, executives gain a deeper understanding of their strengths, weaknesses, and blind spots, which enables them to develop strategies to improve their performance.
  3. Better decision-making: Coaching helps executives develop better decision-making skills by identifying biases, improving problem-solving abilities, and increasing strategic thinking.
  4. Improved communication: Coaching helps executives improve their communication skills, including listening, empathy, and assertiveness, leading to better collaboration and relationships.
  5. Enhanced emotional intelligence: Coaching helps executives develop emotional intelligence, including self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills, leading to better relationships and leadership.
  6. Increased resilience: Coaching helps executives develop resilience, including the ability to cope with stress, adapt to change, and bounce back from setbacks, leading to better mental and emotional well-being.
  7. Improved work-life balance: Coaching helps executives develop a better work-life balance by identifying priorities, managing time, and setting boundaries, leading to better overall health and well-being.
  8. Increased creativity and innovation: Coaching helps executives develop creativity and innovation skills by encouraging them to think outside the box, explore new ideas, and take calculated risks.
  9. Increased accountability: Coaching helps executives become more accountable for their actions and outcomes, leading to better results and greater trust among their colleagues and stakeholders.
  10. Improved career satisfaction: Coaching helps executives align their career goals with their personal values, leading to greater job satisfaction and fulfillment.
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Hamari Pahchan – Eradicate Malnutrition Mission

“We know that a peaceful world cannot long exist, one-third rich and two-thirds hungry.”

– Jimmy

Malnutrition in India is one of the main concerns. More than one third of the world’s malnourished children live in India. The major cause of malnutrition being the inequality in social status and the lack of the necessities that are required in order to raise children. The administrative bodies of our country have attempted with various schemes and grants to eradicate malnutrition within the booming population of India but this cause still requires more support in order to decrease the percentage of malnutrition, especially among children of the underprivileged class.

As a result of this rising issue, Hamari Pahchan took the initiative to work towards the eradication of malnutrition as nutrition is an important factor for the well-being and proper development of a child. Malnutrition not only causes health issues for children but it can affect an individual in the long run during adulthood such as stunted growth, eye problems, diabetes, anemia as well as heart diseases, etc as a result of vitamins and micronutrient deficiency in the human body.

The initiative of Hamari Pahchan helps and provide food to the malnourished children so that they are able to receive the necessary nutrition. The cause is important as children are the future of our country and it is important to ensure their overall well-being. It is crucial to provide them with proper nutrition and assistance.The goals of this initiative are: eradication of malnutrition, eradication of hunger and food security on a national level. By supporting the cause, Hamari Pahchan provides the children nutriotious meal which would make a great difference in their lives. Poor people are also provided with the monthly ration, cooked food, as well as sanitary products.

Hamari Pahchan runs regular ration distribution drives, nutriotious food distribution drives, and frequent surveys with dieticians. Till now, with the contribution of many donors, Hamari Pahchan could successfully conduct 5000+ food distribution drives. The NGO is continuing to work towards it’s goal aiming to reach more and more unprivileged people.

As responsible citizens, it’s important that everyone who is capable enough should come forward and provide support to such NGOs, or contribute one’s part at individual level as well. Supporting the needful always makes one feel good and fills one’s day with positivity.

“There is nothing more beautiful than someone who goes out of their way to make life beautiful for others.”

-Mandy Hale

No one is great by Caste but by Deeds: Activities of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (Babasaheb) — Track2Training

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (Dr. B.R. Ambedkar) popularly known as Babasaheb was a great personality, an erudite scholar, and a great asset of undivided India. He through his activities has proved that caste cannot be an indicator of greatness but through deeds, one can be great. Some years ago, when I visited his birthplace in a […]

No one is great by Caste but by Deeds: Activities of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (Babasaheb) — Track2Training

No one is great by Caste but by Deeds: Activities of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (Babasaheb)

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (Dr. B.R. Ambedkar) popularly known as Babasaheb was a great personality, an erudite scholar, and a great asset of undivided India. He through his activities has proved that caste cannot be an indicator of greatness but through deeds, one can be great. Some years ago, when I visited his birthplace in a seminar (as a resource person) at Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, I was joyous and felt lucky to visit such a holy place. Born on April 14, 1891, Dr. Ambedkar has shown the path of Dalits on how to lead a decent life. Interestingly, his date of birth has coincided (sometimes one-day variation) with the new year celebration in Assam, West Bengal including Bangladesh, Punjab, Kerala, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and many other places.
Hailing from a socially backward class, he has shown everyone, particularly to the lower echelons of society mainly Dalits how to survive with dignity. It may be mentioned that Dalit communities are found not only in India but also in Bangladesh, even among the Muslims of Bangladesh.
Anyway, in his childhood, he never felt the brunt of caste politics or ‘untouchability syndrome’ as he was born in Mhow, Indore present Madhya Pradesh in an army cantonment. In his words “……my father was employed in the Army. He held the rank of Subedar at that time. Since we lived in the cantonment, we had little to do with the world outside the military area. I had no experience of untouchability”. But after his father’s retirement situation totally changed. His father shifted to Satara and he felt the brunt of untouchability as even no barber was prepared to cut his hair as a sequel Dr. Ambedkar’s elder sister used to cut his hair. He had to face many social issues in those days because of caste as he belonged to the Mahar caste.
Being an eminent economist and endowed with foresight, Dr. Ambedkar contributed substantially to the formulation of the post-war economic development plan in general and water resources and electric-power development in particular. A significant contribution of Babasaheb was the establishment of two technical organizations known as the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Central Electricity Authority (CEA). He was instrumental in establishing the Bhakra-Nangal dam.
He was also a visionary and understood the importance of agriculture and farming for the sustainable development of the farmers. He advocated for collective farming as well as an uninterrupted supply of water and electricity to the farmers. Further, Balasaheb is known as the ‘Chief Architect of the Constitution of India’ and called as ‘Father of the Indian Constitution’. Because of his initiative, the Constitution of India has directed, “no child below the age of 14 years shall be employed to work in any factory, mine or engaged in any hazardous employment”.
With the end of December month, a year as per the English calendar is complete and New Year starts but with the death of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on December 6, 1956, a new era of our Constitution started. And we the Indians are lucky to have a sound constitution and that is why Indians did not face the brunt of army rule albeit Pakistanis have many times experienced the same although both got independence almost at the same time.
Dr. Ambedkar was in a favour of birth control and was of the opinion that with a huge population, India would face severe problems on many fronts. By quoting him, it may be mentioned that “the educated class has, by this time, fully realized the necessity of birth control”. I offer my Pronam to this great soul on the occasion of his birthday on April 14, 2023.

Anxiety and Stress – Two sides of the same coin

There’s a fine line between stress and anxiety. Both are emotional responses, but stress is typically caused by an external trigger. The trigger can be short-term, such as a work deadline or a fight with a loved one or long-term, such as being unable to work, discrimination, or chronic illness. People under stress experience mental and physical symptoms, such as irritability, anger, fatigue, muscle pain, digestive troubles, and difficulty sleeping.

Anxiety, on the other hand, is defined by persistent, excessive worries that don’t go away even in the absence of a stressor. Anxiety leads to a nearly identical set of symptoms as stress: insomnia, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, muscle tension, and irritability.

Both mild stress and mild anxiety respond well to similar coping mechanisms. Physical activity, a nutritious and varied diet, and good sleep hygiene are a good starting point.

If your stress or anxiety does not respond to these management techniques, or if you feel that either stress or anxiety are affecting your day-to-day functioning or mood, consider talking to a mental health professional who can help you understand what you are experiencing and provide you additional coping tools. For example, a psychologist can help determine whether you may have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders differ from short-term feelings of anxiety in their severity and in how long they last: The anxiety typically persists for months and negatively affects mood and functioning. Some anxiety disorders, such as agoraphobia (the fear of public or open spaces), may cause the person to avoid enjoyable activities or make it difficult to keep a job.

According to the latest data from the National Institute of Mental Health, 31% of Americans will experience an anxiety disorder during their lifetimes.

One of the most common anxiety disorders is generalized anxiety disorder. To identify if someone has generalized anxiety disorder, a clinician will look for symptoms such as excessive, hard-to-control worry occurring most days over six months. The worry may jump from topic to topic. Generalized anxiety disorder is also accompanied by the physical symptoms of anxiety.

Another type of anxiety disorder is panic disorder, which is marked by sudden attacks of anxiety that may leave a person sweating, dizzy, and gasping for air. Anxiety may also manifest in the form of specific phobias (such as fear of flying) or as social anxiety, which is marked by a pervasive fear of social situations.

Anxiety disorders can be treated with psychotherapy, medication, or a combination of the two. One of the most widely used therapeutic approaches is cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on changing maladaptive thought patterns related to the anxiety. Another potential treatment is exposure therapy, which involves confronting anxiety triggers in a safe, controlled way in order to break the cycle of fear around the trigger.

HOW TO PRODUCE ELECTRICITY FROM COAL

Coal is burned to create steam, which is then used to generate electricity at coal-fired power stations. At extreme pressure, the steam generated enters a turbine, which turns a generator to provide power. In order to restart the process, the steam is then cooled, condensed back into water, and fed back into the boiler.

Why do we need coal to generate Electricity:

In the US, coal is largely utilized as a fuel to produce electricity. Bituminous coal, subbituminous coal, or lignite are all burnt in coal-fired power plants. Heat from the coal’s burning is utilized to turn water into high-pressure steam, which powers a turbine and generates electricity.

How a coal plant works for generation of Electricity:

Fundamentally, the process by which coal produces electricity today is the same as it was in Edison’s time and is comparable to that of other thermal power plants that use gas: the coal is burned, heating water to make steam, which spins a turbine to generate electricity. This was the primary method through which Britain generated most of its power in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Before the “rush for petrol” signalled its decline, coal generation reached its peak in the early 1990s, accounting for more than 60% of the mix.

How is the production of coal used for generating electricity:

In a combustion chamber, coal is burned to create heat, which then causes water to boil. Steam begins to emerge from the water, spinning the propellers. To generate energy, a generator is connected to the turbines.

Alone time – A boon for mental health!

People tend to be social creatures, and research has shown that social connections are vital for both emotional and physical well-being. However, alone time, which is sometimes called private time or solitary time and simply means spending time by yourself, is also good for you as it plays a positive role in mental health.

Being around other people comes with rewards, but it also creates stress. You might worry about what people think or alter your behavior to avoid rejection and to fit in with the rest of the group. While this may be the cost of being part of a social world, some of these challenges demonstrate why alone time can be so important.

Benefits of Alone Time
Having time for yourself gives you the chance to break free from social pressures and tap into your own thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Finding time to be alone can also have a number of key benefits. Some of these include:

-Improved personal exploration
-Increased creativity
-More social energy

Improved Personal Exploration
Becoming comfortable in your own company can give you the time and freedom to truly explore your own passions without interference. It can be a way to try new things, research topics that fascinate you, acquire knowledge, and even practice new methods of self-expression.

Giving yourself alone time means you can explore these things without the pressures and judgments that others may impose. Having time to yourself is critical for growth and personal development. Instead of worrying about the needs, interests, and opinions that others may have, alone time lets you focus on yourself.

Increased Creativity
Alone time is an opportunity to let your mind wander and strengthen your creativity. Without the need to care for or interact with other people, you can ignore outside influences and focus inward.

Research actually suggests that being alone can lead to changes in the brain that help fuel the creative process. One study found that people who tend to purposely withdraw in order to spend time alone also tend to be highly creative people.

In a 2020 study published in the journal Nature Communications, researchers found that perceived social isolation (a.k.a. loneliness) led to increased activity in the neural circuits related to imagination. When left with a lack of social stimulation, the brain ramps up its creative networks to help fill the void.

More Social Energy
Living alone tends to be seen in a negative light. However, researchers have found that people who live alone may actually have richer social lives and more social energy than people who cohabitate with others.

In his book “Going Solo,” sociologist Eric Klineberg notes that one in seven U.S. adults lives alone. Klineberg found that not only were these adults not lonely, many actually had richer social lives.

Some of these reasons people might struggle with being alone include:

*Lack of experience being alone: Some people just might not be used to being by themselves because they are so accustomed to being around other people. The sudden absence of social stimulation can leave them feeling detached or disconnected.
*Distressing thoughts and feelings: In other cases, being alone and focusing inward can be difficult or even painful. People might find this introspection distressing or find themselves engaging in rumination and worry.
*Social stigma: Stigma about being alone can also play a role in shaping how people feel about solitude. For those who have been exposed to negative attitudes towards being alone or who see it as a form of antisocial behavior or social rejection, solitude can seem like a painful form of punishment.

Marketing professor and researcher Rebecca Ratner of the University of Maryland found that people often avoid doing things they enjoy if they have to do them alone. This is particularly true if it is an activity that can be observed by others, such as going to dinner or a movie solo.

Such findings suggest that a stigma about being alone influences whether people think they enjoy such activities. “When people do things alone, they enjoy themselves more than they expected,” Ratner explains. “People overestimate the benefits of being with someone else.”

While being alone sometimes gets mistaken for being lonely, it is clear that having time to yourself now and then is important for mental health and well-being. If the thought of spending time on your own makes you feel bored or uncomfortable, try starting with a small chunk of alone time that allows you to focus on a specific task.

As you get better at enjoying your own company, you may find that this alone time helps you feel renewed and inspired for when you do return to your social circle.

Family time – The most important of all

Do you ever wonder why family time is important?

Yes, time is so important – in fact, time is money, as we’re often reminded when we set out to seek our livelihood as parents.

But family time? Is this meaningful or serve any purpose? Isn’t it just a waste of time because you could probably earn a few grand more putting that time to work!

I know you do not actually think like that and I’ve exaggerated it a bit.

May be you do plan to spend time with your family but things do not always go as per the plans. But you do it all for the family – to earn and provide for the family.

You give money and things to your family. But what does your family need the most?

Your time.

For your kids, your time spent with them is life precious jewels that embed in their memories forever.

The concept of “family” has changed a great deal in recent times, and there are now various forms of families and different styles of parenting. However, one thing remains certain; whatever the term “family” may mean to you, it is of utmost importance in your child’s life.

The family where your child grows up has a big influence on how he or she deals with relationships, copes with situations, and learns about living life. It’s only possible if you proactively be a part of the family.

And for that to happen, you need to block out family time in your schedule.

Family time is also important because if children don’t get the required attention, they might do something that could get them in trouble.

Some stay-at-home parents or moms may think that they are somehow “better” than other parents or moms, who stay away from home for most of the time. This is a misconception.

We often think that it’s all about quantity when it comes to the time we spend with our kids, whereas it is the quality time that we need to give our family and children. Your kids care less about the hours you spend with them, than how you spend your time with them.

As your children get older and become teenagers, it becomes tougher to spend family time with them. It’s mainly because life keeps you busy and your children reach a stage where their friends are the main priority.

As a parent, you have to be willing to go down to their level and enter their world. Sometimes you have to be creative or let them decide what they want to do as a family. But never give up on spending family time with your teens, and they may appreciate it more than what they express.

According to studies, healthy families make family time for talking and listening, accepting differences, showing affection and encouragement, sharing chores and decision making, keeping in touch, and making time for each other.

Why family time is important??

1. To build a stronger bond with your family!

The main reason why family time is important is because you need to develop ties and bond with your family. Often kids decide to join gangs or groups because they welcome them in, to become a part of their family.

Your kids need a sense of belonging and security, as they need to feel they have someone they can turn and look up to, for anything. Spending family time together ensures that a deep, strong, family bond develops.

2. To make time to talk and listen!


Another good reason of spending time with family directly relates to the need to share, talk, and listen to each other as a family.

Parents often think that it would be tough to talk to their children, who think differently from grown-ups. However, parents tend to forget their own time, as how it was for them when they were young! The people you liked were mostly those who listened to what you had to say, similarly, you need to listen to what your children have to say. Listening doesn’t mean only hearing the words your child is saying, but also feeling what your child is trying to convey.

You need to listen without jumping in with answers, criticizing, or giving your own view points. You need to show that you are involved in the conversation, by stopping all other work you are doing, and just listen to them. Talk directly to your kids, especially teenagers, about alcohol and drugs, and set a good example yourself.

3. To teach your children important lessons of life!


If you do not teach children at home, they will learn it elsewhere. As a parent, would you want your children to learn life’s important lessons by undergoing pain, or going the wrong way?

Although children have to learn a few things on their own, it’s important to have family time for discussions, where you can put forth problems or situations in front of them, and then talk about them with your children, seek their opinion, and discuss on the matter. This would help them understand the situations of life in a better way.

4. To show affection, appreciation, and encouragement!


Family time is important so that everyone in the family has a way of showing affection to each other, maybe by giving hugs, holding hands, being thoughtful and kind. According to studies, teenagers who remember being praised, hugged, or kissed are likely to do better at school than those who don’t have this experience.

You need to take out that quality family time to ask what each family member has done in the day, and show interest in each other’s lives. People find it very easy to criticize than praise. So make an effort to think about the positive in each person and tell your child what goodness you have noticed, besides teaching them these values.

5. To instill family values in your children!


Instilling family values in children is of great significance nowadays, so that they are not misled by the number of divorces on the rise.

Children mostly imitate the behavior you show towards them. If you are an absent parent, they will be the same to their children in the future. Instead, they often portray worse behaviors than they see.

Thus, spending family time together will build a sense of worth and instill positive family values in your children.

6. To inculcate family rituals and traditions!


Daily rituals or the little things that you do daily and on special occasions, helps to build a sense of belonging, contentedness, and inner security within the family. Daily rituals like the way you greet each other, or say goodbye, what you do at mealtimes or bedtimes, can all be something to share within your family time.

Families benefit from coming together to celebrate occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, or festivals like Christmas, etc., where they learn the traditions about what happens at these times.

7. To accept the differences in each person!


Family time is essential to appreciate, encourage, and value the differences in each family member, knowing that everyone is special in their own way. Allow each family member to be excited about their personal interests, and show respect and tolerance towards them.

Don’t pressurize your family members to be like you, or hide their feelings and differences. Instead, let them feel proud to be themselves.

8. To keep in touch with friends and relatives!


As we live in a society, we do need to spend time among our family as well as interact with friends and relatives. Knowing that there are people outside the family to turn to in a crisis can make a difference to your child’s happiness. It also increases the chances of them making good friends later in life.

9. To share the chores!


Family time is important to teach younger children, by giving them chance to do things for themselves, under your supervision. Use adult power wisely, and keep control through humor and encouragement, not with punishments or threats.

By spending time with family together, a very special relationship of trust and intimacy develops that helps build a healthy family. Especially when children have a real say in what happens and where everyone feels their views are heard.

10. To help and connect better with your children!


One of the most overlooked aspects of education today is parental involvement. Many parents don’t realize the importance of family time and how important it is to involve themselves in their children’s learning.

All parents and family members need to find time and make the effort. Research shows that when parents involve themselves in the family, their children:

-Get superior grades and test scores.
-Graduate from high school at higher rates.
-Are most likely to go on to higher education.
-Have more positive attitudes and behave better.

Show loyalty to your family, stick up for each other so that each person feels confident in the family’s support and pull together to form a united front to find solutions.
Children grow up and are gone before you realize it, so don’t waste the time you have now, and spend it with your family. Remember, that strong families are able to withstand setbacks and crisis with a positive attitude, shared values, and beliefs that help them cope with challenges.

A step towards healthy eyes!

As students we are very much dependent on technology. So our lives generally revolved around phone, laptop and screen due to which our eyes experience a lot of radiation exposure.

Don’t take your eyes for granted. Take these easy steps to keep your peepers healthy.

1.Eat Well
Good eye health starts with the food on your plate. Nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zinc, and vitamins C and E might help ward off age-related vision problems like macular degeneration and cataracts. To get them, fill your plate with:

Green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and collards
Salmon, tuna, and other oily fish
Eggs, nuts, beans, and other nonmeat protein sources.

2. Quit Smoking
It makes you more likely to get cataracts, damage to your optic nerve, and macular degeneration, among many other medical problems. If you’ve tried to kick the habit before only to start again, keep at it. The more times you try to quit, the more likely you are to succeed. Ask your doctor for help.

3. Wear Sunglasses
The right pair of shades will help protect your eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. Too much UV exposure boosts your chances of cataracts and macular degeneration.

Choose a pair that blocks 99% to 100% of UVA and UVB rays. Wraparound lenses help protect your eyes from the side. Polarized lenses reduce glare while you drive, but don’t necessarily offer added protection.

4. Use Safety Eyewear
If you use hazardous or airborne materials on the job or at home, wear safety glasses or protective goggles.

Sports like ice hockey, racquetball, and lacrosse can also lead to eye injury. Wear eye protection. Helmets with protective face masks or sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses will shield your eyes.

5. Look Away From the Computer Screen
Staring at a computer or phone screen for too long can cause:

Eyestrain
Blurry vision
Trouble focusing at a distance
Dry eyes
Headaches
Neck, back, and shoulder pain

To protect your eyes:

Make sure your glasses or contacts prescription is up to date and good for looking at a computer screen.
If your eye strain won’t go away, talk to your doctor about computer glasses.
Move the screen so your eyes are level with the top of the monitor. That lets you look slightly down at the screen.
Try to avoid glare from windows and lights. Use an anti-glare screen if needed.
Choose a comfortable, supportive chair. Position it so that your feet are flat on the floor.
If your eyes are dry, blink more or try using artificial tears.
Rest your eyes every 20 minutes. Look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Get up at least every 2 hours and take a 15-minute break.

Walking – The best and underrated form of exercise

You drag yourself from your desk to the gym, where you pop in some upbeat music and jack the treadmill up to 6 mph.

Admit it, while you’re pounding out those three miles, you’re silently judging (even if subconsciously) the person walking next to you.

But experts say we’re unfairly placing the form of exercise in the “pointless” category. It turns out, you may be missing out on an extremely effective physical activity, not to mention a mental boost, by writing off walking entirely.

“Walking can be as good as a workout, if not better, than running,” says Dr. Matt Tanneberg, CSCS, a sports Chiropractor and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist in Phoenix, Arizona who works with elite athletes. “You hear of people ‘plateauing’ when they continue to do the same workout routine and stop seeing results. I see patients all the time that plateau from running, they will run the same distance, speed and time, day in and day out. You need to constantly be switching up your exercise routine in order to get the maximum benefit for your health.”

Yes, running is more physically demanding, which leads people to label it a “better” workout.

“While I would love to say that walking can be just as effective of a workout as running, I’m not going to lie to you. In fairness, the two really shouldn’t be compared against each other,” says John Ford, certified exercise physiologist, who runs JKF Fitness & Health in New York City. “Running, due to larger muscle recruitment, greater forces exerted and faster motion capability, will always have the proverbial leg up on walking.”

But while walking may not be a better workout, it may be a better exercise choice for some people.

“With that being said, walking is a really good form of exercise and can help you reach your fitness and weight-loss goals. As a lifelong track athlete, who has marveled at race walkers (check out the Olympic walkers on YouTube!), I don’t scoff at walking,” says Ford. “In fact, walking is the suggested workout over running for many people. For example, those with knee, ankle and back problems and also for people who are overweight to obese. Walking is a lower impact exercise and can be done for longer periods of time.”

And there is no shortage of scientific research to back up the effectiveness of adding walking to your fitness routine.

“There are many reasons to walk for exercise,” says Ann Green, M.S., past heptathlon world athlete, yoga teacher and fitness studio owner. “Walking improves fitness, cardiac health, alleviates depression and fatigue, improves mood, creates less stress on joints and reduces pain, can prevent weight gain, reduce risk for cancer and chronic disease, improve endurance, circulation, and posture, and the list goes on…”

When comparing the results of the most recent National Runners’ Health Study with the National Walkers’ Health Study, researchers found that the energy used for moderate-intensity walking and vigorous-intensity running resulted in similar reductions in risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and heart disease over the study’s six year period.

Which means when it comes to some pretty prominent markers of our health, walking at a moderate intensity can get the job done just as well as running, as long as you’re expending the same amount of energy. Great news for those of us that dread going on a jog.

While the physical benefits are notable, the mental boost that can be gleaned from adding a walk to your daily routine may be more immediate.

One Stanford University study found that walking increased creative output by an average of 60 percent. Researchers labelled this type of creativity “divergent thinking,” which they define as a thought process used to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions. According to the study, “walking opens up the free flow of ideas, and it is a simple and robust solution to the goals of increasing creativity and increasing physical activity.”

Which makes sense, since science shows that engaging in activities that allow our minds to wander promotes a mental state conducive to innovative ideas and “ah-ha!” moments.

But it’s not only your creativity that will benefit from the mental lift. The act of walking is also a proven mood booster. One study found that just 12 minutes of walking resulted in an increase in joviality, vigor, attentiveness and self-confidence versus the same time spent sitting. Walking in nature, specifically, was found to reduce ruminating over negative experiences, which increases activity in the brain associated with negative emotions and raises risk of depression.