Walking to Work Walking to Work
Whether you’re commuting into the workplace or working from home, add walking to your daily routine.
Why walk?
It takes approximately 10 minutes to walk 1km. Just 30 minutes of walking a day can help you become fitter, healthier, and feel great. It can also relax the mind and help you become more productive at work.
When we walk, we take in all sorts of things we don’t notice in a car – like birdsong, seasonal changes, interesting storefronts, and other people out and about. Connecting to our environment and noticing what’s around us can help improve our mental health and wellbeing.
You’ll never be late to work because you got stuck in traffic or couldn’t find a car park. Plus, short-distance car trips generate the most pollution per kilometre travelled. Avoiding short trips by walking is a great way to help the environment.
If your workplace is too far to walk to, try walking to public transport instead. If you're already using public transport, try getting off a couple stops earlier to rack up that step count!
Are you interested in encouraging your colleagues to commute more sustainably? Check out Travelwise for business to find out how we can help everyone at your workplace drive less, with subsidised public transport and more.
Walk while you work from home
Over the past few years, many of us have shifted to working-from-home arrangements. These new working arrangements mean that fewer of us are commuting into the workplace, with online meetings reducing the need to commute.
There are still loads of ways to incorporate walking into your routine even when you're working from home, like taking a trip to the shops, running some errands, or just getting out for some exercise.
When you’re out exploring Tāmaki Makaurau on foot, check out the AKL Paths web portal to find a huge range of walkways and trails, or join one of our guided walks to learn more about our beautiful city.
Download this helpful guide 8 Steps to Walking From Home (PDF 61KB).
Walk2Work Day
Walk2Work Day is an annual date, typically celebrated on the second Wednesday of March, which embraces the benefits of walking. As the name implies, Walk2Work Day has historically focused on the commute to work, but its scope has expanded overtime.
Today, Walk2Work Day is also about getting out and about if you are working from home. It aims to shift our travel behaviour to more sustainable alternatives and capture the benefits for our health, the environment, and even work productivity.
Learn more about Walk2Work Day on our Courses and Events page.
Finding the best route
When walking you don't have to use the same routes as you would by car. There may be quieter residential streets, neighbourhood parks or other shortcuts that can make your route shorter and more enjoyable.
To help you have a more comfortable walk, the AT Mobile app helps you discover faster and easier walking routes. Use the Journey Planner to select between walking, cycling or public transport route to learn what options are available to you.
If you are walking to or through the city centre, discover the convenience of pedestrian cut-throughs too.
Make it social and fun
If you’re walking to the workplace, try considering:
- Walking with someone else. If a friend or work colleague is making a similar journey, why not walk together for a more sociable experience?
- Downloading a pedometer app: If you’d like to track your steps and calories burnt, download a pedometer app to keep track of your progress on fitness goals, or use the in-built pedometer that comes with most smartphones.