Walking Meetings: How Working Parents Can Move More
If you are a working parent, your day probably looks like this: school run, sit at a desk, eat lunch at the desk, sit at the desk, rush to pick-up, sit on the sofa once the kids are in bed. The time to exercise is not there. But the calls are. Walking meetings turn some of those calls into movement, and for many of the parents I coach, they are the easiest win of the whole week.
This guide covers which calls work on foot, how to do it without seeming rude or unprofessional, and some route ideas around Archway and Highgate if you work from home in North London.
Why walking meetings are worth trying
The NHS explains why sitting too much is bad for us and recommends breaking up long periods of sitting. A single 30-minute call taken on foot can add 3,000 or so steps to your day, depending on your pace, without taking any extra time away from work or family.
There are other benefits I hear from parents all the time:
- Clearer thinking. Walking side by side (or with a headset) often makes conversations feel easier and less tense than staring at faces on a screen.
- Daylight. In winter, a lunchtime call outside might be your only daylight of the day.
- Less screen fatigue. One fewer video call is a break for your eyes as well as your back.
Brisk walking is also moderate activity, which counts towards the NHS weekly target. The NHS page on walking for health has more on how to make your walks brisk enough to count.
Which calls work on foot?
Not every call is right for a walk. Here is the rough rule I use:
| Good for walking | Better at a desk |
|---|---|
| One-to-ones and catch-ups | Anything where you share or edit a screen |
| Brainstorming and “thinking out loud” calls | Calls where you need to take detailed notes |
| Regular check-ins with people you know well | First meetings with clients or interviews |
| Listening-only all-hands or webinars | Confidential or sensitive conversations |
Start with one call a day that is clearly in the left column. Once it is a habit, add another.
Walking meetings etiquette
The main worry parents have is looking unprofessional. These simple habits fix that:
- Ask or tell in advance. “Would you mind if I take this one on a walk? I will be on audio.” Most people say yes, and some will join you on their own walk.
- Use decent earphones with a mic. Wind noise is the giveaway. Earphones with noise reduction make a big difference, and you can mute when traffic passes.
- Pick quiet routes. Back streets and parks, not the main road during the rush hour.
- Keep a note-taking plan. Use voice notes, or send a quick summary as soon as you get home. If an action point needs writing down, stop and type it into your phone.
- Do not puff down the line. Walk at a brisk pace you can talk at. Save the hill sprints for later.
- Be ready to stop. If the call needs your full attention or a screen, it is fine to say “let me get back to my desk for this bit”.
Route ideas for North London parents
A good walking meeting route is quiet, loops back to where you started, and takes roughly the length of your call. If you live or work around Archway and Highgate, a few options:
- Waterlow Park. Paths, trees and very little traffic noise. You can do laps for as long as your call lasts. If you fancy using it for a workout as well, see my Waterlow Park outdoor workout.
- The Parkland Walk. The old railway line between Highgate and Finsbury Park is flat and traffic free, ideal for a longer call. My Parkland Walk guide covers the access points.
- Highgate Wood. Lovely for a long one-to-one, though signal can be patchy under the trees. Test it before an important call.
- Residential loops. Sometimes the best option is a 20 or 30-minute loop of quiet streets from your front door. Time it once, then you know exactly which route matches which length of call.
Always check your phone signal on a new route before relying on it for a work call.
A simple weekly plan
Here is how one working parent might build this in without changing anything else:
- Monday: weekly one-to-one with your manager on foot (30 minutes).
- Tuesday: listen to the team update while walking to pick-up.
- Wednesday: desk day, but stand up and walk around the flat on every call.
- Thursday: brainstorm call with a colleague, both of you walking.
- Friday: lunchtime call in the park, then 5 minutes of stretches when you get home.
That could easily be an extra couple of hours of walking a week. If you want more ideas like this, my post on how to move more with a desk job has plenty more.
What walking does not do
I am a big fan of walking, but I will be honest: on its own it does not build much strength. As we get older, especially from our late 30s onwards, keeping muscle and bone strong matters more and more. The NHS recommends strength activities on at least two days a week as well as aerobic activity.
That is where classes come in. In my bootcamp, we do the strength work walking cannot: squats, hinges, presses, rows and carries, with an easier and harder version of everything. And because a lot of desk workers arrive with tight hips and a stiff back, my SYP Unlock hip and back mobility class pairs well with a week of walking calls.
FAQs
Is it unprofessional to take a call on a walk?
Not if you set them up well. Ask first, use good earphones, choose quiet routes and keep them for the right type of call. Many people appreciate the break from screens.
How do you take notes in a walking meeting?
Use voice notes on your phone, stop briefly to type key actions, or agree that one person will send a summary afterwards.
How long should a walking meeting be?
Twenty to 45 minutes works well. Plan a route that loops back to your door in roughly that time.
What if it is raining?
A good jacket and a hood solve most days. If the weather is bad, walk around your home or stand up for the call instead.
Book your first class
Walking calls cover your steps. My classes cover the strength. SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes indoors in an Archway N19 church hall, max 10 people, all fitness levels, £15 a class, and I send the timetable when you book. Book your £15 class, or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215. If your diary is too unpredictable for a group timetable, my private personal training in Archway fits around you.
About the author
Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.
