Tasmania has given us a lot over the years.

Personally, it’s given me a real appreciation for world renowned whisky, eccentric modern art and Sydney weather. But a recent longitudinal study from The George Institute for Global Health could just be the best thing to come out of our most southern state yet.

This study on 3000 Tasmanians found simply increasing step count from sedentary level (relatively inactive) to 10,000 steps per day was associated with a 46% lower risk of mortality at 5 year follow up.

In case that paragraph was too long and you just skimmed right past it:

Walking 10,000 steps per day was associated with a FORTY SIX PERCENT reduced risk of early death.

So strap your pedometer to your belt, your Fitbit to your wrist or your iPhone to your pocket and get moving!  Here are my top 3 favorite ways to get more steps and years out of those magnificent feet of yours:

ONE: WALK AND TALK

Do you have an over-enthusiastic mother/aunt/french-bulldog who wants to talk to you on the phone for a minimum of 30 minutes every single day? Or a client who you avoid calling because you know you will be stuck on the phone for no less than 45 painful minutes?

Things just got a little brighter! You can now use that otherwise ‘wasted’ (your words not mine) time to add another 2500 steps to your count. Simply plug in your headphones, make that call and get moving.

TWO: WALK LIKE A MONK

In case you haven’t heard, 80% of successful people (interviewed by Tim Ferriss) report that meditation is part of their daily routine. I believe strongly in the benefits of meditation, but in my dealings with corporate executives, the biggest excuse for meditating is always a lack of time.

It can be hard to convince an already overwhelmed, high achiever to sit down and complete a breathing meditation for 20 minutes per day. I’m usually not a fan of ‘multi-tasking’ but combining a daily walk with mindfulness/meditation is an excellent way to persuade a resistant meditator.

Simply walk and allow your mind to focus only on your body walking. It’s often easier to focus on one thing at a time such as your breathing, the feeling of your feet as the contact the ground, or the sounds around you.

THREE: COMMUTE LIKE YOUR NANNA DID

Not like that silly! With your feet! It’s time to chop up your Opal card, throw your car keys in the toilet and remember the forgotten joy of using your own feet to get you from a to b. It’s all about changing your daily habits, and today is the best day to start.

If you live in Rose Bay and work in Wollongong you may not be able to walk all of the way to work, but there are always ways to add more walking into your commute. Get off the train a stop early, park your car in the next suburb or get the train into work and jog home.

You can spend the money you save on petrol, public transport and medical bills on a snazzy new pair of walking shoes perhaps?

THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS IS THAT YOU MAKE A CHANGE THAT MEANS YOU MOVE MORE AND THAT YOU DO IT EVERY DAY STARTING TODAY.

Thanks for another gem Tasmania! I’m off for a walk.