If you want to live longer, one good way to start is to walk several thousand steps a day. (10,000 steps is the gold standard, though not scientific—the number was the result of a marketing campaign for a Japanese pedometer.)

It’s not difficult to walk several thousand steps every day living in a city. In a suburb, things are further apart, which means you need to travel more by car or public transit. While it can take more intention to walk thousands of steps, it’s very possible. 

The first three ideas involve quickly walking an extra 200–500 steps at a time, which add up throughout the day:

Park further away. If you’re driving to a store, you can intentionally park further away. It’s also much easier to find parking.

Walk to the next shop. If your next stop is across the street, don’t drive. If a drive ever takes 30 seconds to a minute, just walk.

Do stuff outside. You can meditate, journal, or take phone calls just as well outside as you can inside. You might even record a podcast outside.

The next couple of ideas involve intentionally making 15–30 minutes in one day to walk 1,500 to 2,000 steps:

Walk around the mall. If you like seeing more people—like a city—then this is a nice option. Leave the wallet in the car. This is a good indoor option during cold winters.

Walk through somewhere you haven’t been to before. It could be a new park, because visiting the same old park gets boring. It could also easily be a part of town you’ve only driven past.

More on walking here.