Walking is a great addition to any writer’s daily routine because it hits multiple birds with one stone.
When we walk,
- we create an opportunity for physical activity,
- we create a space for creativity (e.g., practice photography),
- we get the psychological benefits of being in nature,
- we can be exposed to misfortune, which could test mental fortitude and emotional stability (Stoicism).
Walking favors process over product and is Circular over linear (Austin Kleon - The creative life is not linear).
I have always incorporated walking (or biking) in my daily routine. I also tried following The fieldwork routine of Thoreau. However, I find it too time-consuming, which shows the mental investment that henry david thoreau gave to his process. He really loved nature. It was his workplace.
I don’t need to adopt such investment on doing fieldworks though. A 1-2 hour walk in the afternoon will usually suffice in benefiting any serious writer. Aside from a daily walk, a monthly fieldwork, or something like what craig mod does, that combines excursion to nature and art could surely work.
References
Walls, L. D. (2017). Henry David Thoreau: A Life (First edition). University of Chicago Press.