There are a quite a few of medical professionals that recommend getting 5, 6, 8, 10, or however many thousand steps per day. When driving into the office, and parking pretty much as far away from the door as possible, it is a little easier to get a couple thousand steps.

Taking a “technical break”, but going to the next restroom instead of the close one, also adds steps. Drinking a lot of water, and having to take a number of breaks – that helps too. Making stops on the way home? Yup, that adds to the step count.

When working from home, those opportunities all but vanished. The trips to the bathroom were a LOT shorter. There were no more walks to and from the car. And only going out to the supermarket once a week reduced the number of steps too.

Once retirement sets in, walks will have to be taken for exercise. FOR EXERCISE. Walks will have to be built into the schedule, somewhere, somehow. After all, one has to try to stay as reasonably healthy as possible when retirement hits, otherwise, what good is that?

It will be easier to walk when the weather is nice, but there’s that span during the wintertime wherein one will have to get creative. Yes, bundling up would be helpful. Or going to, say, a mall or even a supermarket would also be helpful. Not going to the supermarket to shop, but to walk. I would swear that in late December, when I at a supermarket (shopping), I saw a woman doing laps around the inside of the store. It’s safe, climate controlled, there’s a bathroom, and if you get hungry, plenty of food. Perhaps she would do ten laps, then shop. Don’t know, but it isn’t that bad of an idea.

But also when one is retired, having the TIME to exercise – be it walking or some sort of other activity – will be greatly increased. Barring injury, there should be no excuses. And after commuting two ways – however long that takes – and working eight or more hours a day, who really wants to exercise?

I will miss the built-in walking, but will look forward to making time in my schedule to get some walking in.