The 5-Minute Habit That Changed My Energy, Focus, and Creativity
The Quest of Life
Weekly Newsletter by Quest Taylor
Read Time: 5 Minutes
Today at a Glance
A small change in my daily routine completely transformed my productivity, mental clarity, and overall energy. This week, I’m diving into:
The unexpected benefits of short walks (it’s more than just getting steps in)
How walking increases your “luck surface area” and opens up new opportunities
Why walking is the ultimate transition tool between different types of work
The simple way to incorporate this game-changing habit into your daily routine
Let’s get into it.
The Aha Moment in Boston
A couple of years ago, I was on a work trip in Boston, walking to the office every morning. At first, it was just a necessary part of my day—getting from point A to point B. But after a few days, I noticed something interesting.
These walks weren’t just about transportation. They became a mental reset between activities.
After my morning walk, I felt sharper stepping into meetings.
Walking to the gym gave me time to clear my head before training.
Grabbing food meant I wasn’t just jumping from one thing to the next—I had space to breathe.
It hit me: I was more observant, more engaged, and showing up in a better headspace simply because I was walking more.
Why This Was Even More Important: Working From Home Since COVID
Since COVID, I’ve been working from home. The days of commuting, walking between meetings, or even just moving around the office were gone. Everything I did—my corporate job, my app development, writing this newsletter—happened within the same few feet.
I realized I wasn’t transitioning between different parts of my day. Work, deep focus, creative time—it all blurred together. My mind felt like it was constantly switching gears without a proper reset.
Walking became my way to break up the monotony of being in the same space all day. It gave me structure, clear transitions, and a sense of movement—both physically and mentally.
What Happened When I Started Walking More
When I got back home, I decided to make this a daily habit—not just something that happened when I traveled.
At first, I started taking a five-minute walk every couple of hours during the workday. I also made it a rule to walk for at least five minutes after every meal (which, by the way, is a hack for avoiding food comas).
The First Major Change: Less Sluggishness
Usually, after eating, I’d feel that post-meal dip—slower thinking, low energy, and wanting to just sit. But a quick walk after meals eliminated that completely. It helped digestion, kept my energy up, and prevented that sluggish, bloated feeling.
The Second Major Change: More Ideas & Mental Clarity
I started realizing that my best ideas weren’t coming from sitting at my desk forcing productivity. They were happening while I was walking. It became my best time to:
Brainstorm solutions to problems
Generate new business ideas
Process emotions and decompress
Now, whenever I feel stuck, I take a quick walk instead of just sitting there frustrated.
Using Walks to Transition Between Different Types of Work
One of the biggest benefits I’ve noticed is how walking helps me switch gears between different types of tasks.
Throughout my day, I’m moving between different mindsets—working on my corporate job, developing my app, and writing this newsletter. Each requires a different kind of thinking.
Walking serves as a mental transition between these different modes:
After a long stretch of meetings, a quick walk resets my brain before diving into deep work.
Shifting from analytical tasks (like data analysis) to creative work (like writing this newsletter) feels smoother when I take a few minutes to clear my head.
Even something as simple as moving from a focused project to a presentation or team discussion feels better with a short break.
Walking is like hitting the reset button on my brain—it helps me leave behind the last task and step into the next one fully engaged.
The Unexpected Benefits of Walking More
Walking wasn’t just helping me think clearer—it was increasing my luck surface area.
How Walking Increases Your Luck Surface Area
Luck isn’t just random—it’s about putting yourself in more situations where good things can happen.
The more I walked, the more I ran into unexpected opportunities:
Bumping into people I hadn’t seen in years, leading to new friendships and work opportunities
Discovering new restaurants, coffee shops, and hidden gems in my city
Running into random events giving away free stuff
Getting compliments or sparking conversations with complete strangers
Had I just stayed inside, none of these things would’ve happened. Walking puts you in motion—not just physically, but in life.
The Science Behind Why Walking Works
This isn’t just some feel-good habit—there’s real science behind it.
🚶 Boosts metabolism
Walking after meals helps regulate blood sugar and digestion, reducing energy crashes.
🧠 Improves cognitive function & creativity
Studies show that walking increases creative thinking by up to 60% compared to sitting.
🌙 Helps fix your sleep cycle
Walking during sunset hours helps balance your circadian rhythm, reducing blue light exposure and improving sleep.
🧓 Reduces risk of dementia
Walking just 30 minutes, three times a week has been shown to lower dementia risk by 30%.
How to Incorporate More Walks Into Your Day
Adding more movement into your routine doesn’t have to be complicated. Here’s how to do it effortlessly:
1. Start small.
Just five minutes between tasks can make a huge difference.
2. Pair it with something you already do.
Walk after meals.
Take walking meetings instead of sitting in conference rooms.
Walk during phone calls.
3. Make it non-negotiable.
Treat it as a mental reset, not just exercise. It’s a transition between activities, a productivity hack, and a creativity boost all in one.
Reflection Question & Challenge
🚶 How often do you take short breaks to reset your mind?
💡 Could you add a 5-minute walk after a meal or between tasks this week?
Try it for a few days. You might be surprised at how much better you feel.
Parting Thought: The Smallest Changes Have the Biggest Impact
I never set out to “walk more” as some big goal—it just slowly became a habit. What started as a way to get groceries turned into a daily practice that transformed my focus, energy, and creativity.
Sometimes, the simplest things make the biggest impact.
This week, challenge yourself to add just five more minutes of walking a day. Who knows? It might just change your life.
Stay curious, stay bold, and keep chasing the dream.
– Quest