Let the walking appointment remain
As you may know, I walk. Before you see an overzealous hiker: I'm talking about a loop in the woods before I start working. On weekends, I dare to add a few kilometers to that. I usually did that alone or occasionally with my friend, but by now I also have walking appointments. Walk-ing-appointments, yes. In Amsterdam, you meet in a park, somewhere near the entrance you grab a coffee to go (or a complicated latte) and off you go walking. To top it off, you take a (borrowed) dog with you and you can't be distinguished from a real walker.
Today, I want to advocate for the preservation of the walking appointment. What am I saying? I'm actually advocating for more walking appointments. It has great benefits. To begin with, the walking appointment is of the same caliber as talking in the car, because you don't have to look deeply into each other's eyes continuously. I have nothing against that, but it's nice to let your gaze wander while having a (serious) conversation with someone. It always feels to me like I am a bit broader in my mind when fresh air is blowing past my head, allowing me to think in solutions and creative ideas. Additionally, it does wonders for your body. It's good for your heart, for your lungs, for your cells, and for releasing stress, and how handy is that actually? Maybe you have a conversation that makes you a bit tense, then you immediately let that go while walking. When you return, you're back to a steady level.
If your walking date lives on the other side of the country and you conclude that calling is more efficient, then I propose the walking call appointment. It's really nice to sit and stare at each other through a screen, but honestly: you spend half the time looking at yourself anyway. Set a time, put in those earbuds, and off you go walking. You both have some movement in that body and you've also been outside for a bit. If you're thinking: yes, but I have a lot to take notes on: you don't. When you get home, you really remember the most important points of the call, and if not, they probably weren't that important. At the end of the conversation, suggest (if it's a business appointment, because otherwise it's a bit strange) that you both make a list of the main points and send it by email. Voilà, solved.
But whatever happens, let's not waste hours having lunch anymore. Lunching is a hobby of mine, but mainly in my free time. You can easily spend three hours at the table, while you could have discussed everything in a half-hour walk. Efficient, effective, and you don't accidentally drink three glasses of wine in the middle of the workday. Which is also a nice bonus if you still have a whole to-do list to get through.
