The Best Way to Talk with Someone
If you want to catch up with a friend, talk business with a colleague, get to the bottom of a disagreement, or get to know a date – do it while you’re walking side by side.
And there’s science behind it that suggestion…… According to the Journal of Environmental Psychology, during a “walk and talk,” conversation flows more easily. That’s because it’s less stressful to talk to someone while you’re side by side – instead of facing each other – which can feel confrontational.
When you’re walking next to someone, a conversation becomes parallel play – where you’re both engaged in an activity separately, but also connected. Plus, you’re looking ahead – which is less intense than making direct eye contact.
It allows people to feel attached but safely individual. A walk and talk also encourages easy conversation because you’re not in a hurry to get anywhere – the walk IS the destination. So the conversation is often more relaxed and open to tangents.
Plus, it’s really hard to check your phone when you’re on a walk. And that puts more focus on the person you’re with and the conversation.
