Walking Coaching Sessions & The Benefits of Walking For Cognitive Performance

Have you ever noticed that you think more creatively while walking? Maybe you’ve spent hours thinking over a problem or a project, only to go out for a walk and come up with the solution.

Walking can have a profound impact on our brain function and creativity, stimulating cognitive processes, boosting our mood, and enhancing creative thinking. As an NLP coach, I’ll often lead in-person coaching sessions while walking. The change of scenery can be a great way to help clients access new ways of thinking about a topic, change their state, or get around mental blocks.

The effects of walking on cognitive performance

Studies have shown that walking promotes the production of neurochemicals such as serotonin and dopamine, which are responsible for regulating mood, reducing stress, and enhancing cognitive function. Walking has been shown to increase blood flow to the brain, leading to improved cognitive performance and enhanced problem-solving abilities.

Walking can also improve our ability to think creatively. A study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition found that individuals who walked while performing a creative thinking task produced more creative ideas compared to those who were seated. The study suggests that walking may enhance the ability to generate novel ideas by increasing the flow of ideas and associations in the brain.

Walking has been found to enhance the connectivity of brain regions involved in creative thinking. In a study published in the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, researchers found that walking improved connectivity between brain regions associated with the default mode network, which is involved in creative thinking and imagination.

The benefits of walking coaching sessions

Walking coaching sessions are an excellent way to leverage the benefits of walking for cognitive and creative enhancement. NLP walking coaching sessions involve a coach guiding a client through a session while walking – ideally, somewhere with a great view, which we’ve got in spades here in Cornwall! Just like in a regular coaching session, the goal isn’t to instruct the client, but to facilitate their own creative or problem-solving process.

During a walking coaching session, we’ll use various NLP techniques such as visualisation, anchors, and language patterns to help the client towards their desired outcome. Each session is different, tailored specifically to an individual’s needs and goals.

Walking coaching sessions may also include elements of goal-setting and personal development. By combining the physical activity of walking with the mental focus of NLP techniques, clients can improve their ability to achieve their goals, overcome barriers and work towards their desired outcomes.

Feeling stuck? Try walking it off

While often overlooked as it’s something we do every day, walking is a powerful tool for enhancing brain function and creativity, enhancing cognitive processes, accessing new ideas, and improving creative thinking. Walking coaching sessions are an excellent way to leverage the benefits of walking and NLP techniques for cognitive and creative enhancement. So, next time you’re feeling stuck or need to come up with some creative ideas, take a walk and see what it does for your brain!

If you’d like to book a coaching session (whether online, in-person or walking), get in touch or visit the website to find out more.

Coaching EAP: Support for Businesses Dealing With Change

Coaching support for businesses dealing with challenge or change

In the last few months I’ve spoken to lots of managers who are struggling with how to manage their team in the ‘new normal’ at work.

After making a quick switch to remote working in March, many businesses saw real benefits from flexible working, and are now making changes to the way they work long-term. It’s great to see businesses making the most of flexible working, but it’s not without its obstacles: managing a team remotely presents new challenges, managers and leaders are adapting to a new way of monitoring progress and productivity, and people at all levels are dealing with changes to their roles and the way they’re carried out.

Enter the Evolution Coaching EAP: a coaching support programme designed for businesses who would like to support their staff through periods of change or challenge.

What is an EAP?

An Employee Assistance Programme is a support programme offered to employees by an employer. The programme is funded by the employer, and provides guidance and support on wellbeing and mental health, financial issues, and other work and personal issues.

As part of the Evolution Coaching EAP, we provide one-to-one coaching support for anyone in a business who is dealing with challenge or change. It’s completely confidential and allows organisations to support their staff, for a happier, healthier and more productive workplace.

The Coaching EAP:

Ensures a consistency of availability of coaching support
Utilises a proven, semi-directive approach to ensure the coaching meets the clients’ needs
Is outcome focused
Is cost-effective
Is totally confidential
Is effective

Why coaching?

Coaching is a way for businesses to really support their employees; now more than ever, supporting the wellbeing of staff is essential, rather than optional, and as a result the use of EAPs has increased by 68% percent over the last 10 years. Many teams are now working remotely or flexibly, and this brings in new challenges: working from home can mean fewer opportunities to casually ‘check in’ with staff, and while some employees may thrive in a home-working setting, others may find it presents new challenges.

In the context of the coronavirus pandemic, coaching can be particularly useful for:

Managers finding it challenging to manage teams remotely
Employees struggling financially due to the pandemic
Employees struggling with changes to their role
Anyone finding working from home difficult or stressful
Anyone dealing with change that’s affecting their wellbeing, whether that’s personal or at work

Coaching is a valuable part of a risk and absence management strategy, and can help identify problems staff are dealing with before they become serious.

How does it work?

Our Coaching EAP is a package of support purchased in blocks of hours per month. The purchased hours are then available for the use of anyone in the organisation: employees can self-refer, or staff can be referred by a manager or HR if they feel it would be beneficial.

“I was referred to Martin following a traumatic event at work. We had several sessions of online coaching/counselling. Martin was professional yet approachable and I felt at ease talking about my experience and the effect it had on my work. Martin listened well and gave me lots of suggestions and strategies to move forward. He easily picked up at subsequent sessions showing he had listened to and remembered what had gone before. Virtual sessions worked very well with Martin and would happily recommend his work to others.”

Kerry O’Leary, Plymouth Community Homes

If you’d like to chat to us about the Evolution Coaching EAP for your business, get in touch. We also offer other business support, such as strategic planning with our Navigator sessions, and Resilience and Civility training.

The Presenter’s Toolkit- Improve Your Presentation & Communication Skills

We are constantly selling.

If we are not selling a product or a service we are selling an idea or a point of view or even yourself.
The Presenter’s Toolkit equips you to design and deliver winning presentations, whether that is a 90-second elevator pitch, a long conference presentation, a short review meeting with your team or even a written piece.

It is common to feel nervous when presenting – but you don’t need to. When you have the right tools you can feel confident and actually enjoy it.

That is why we are running our Presenter’s Toolkit workshop on 5th October 2018 at the Health and Wellbeing Innovation Centre, Treliske.

Interested? Book your space now.

Let us help you stay calm and engaged – but also have fun when presenting!

What you will learn

During this one day workshop, you will learn a number of helpful strategies as well as learning a simple and effective structure which will help you to perfect your delivery – even if you only have a minutes notice.

You will learn:

How to control your nerves
How to manage your state
How to Swap anxiety for confidence
Some specific body language techniques to gain the right response from your audience
How to structure your presentation to ensure your key messages are heard and understood
And you’ll learn 10 ways to avoid Death By Powerpoint!

Who is it for?

This workshop is tailored to help people from different industries at various stages in their careers.
You may be a graduate or you may have 40 years experience.
This doesn’t matter. The skills and techniques we will be teaching are transferable.

Are you trying to find a job to help you take that next step in your career?
Are you trying to grow your business by finding new clients?
Do you want to cement yourself as a thought leader and share your ideas at conferences?

Then you really shouldn’t miss this workshop!

Past client testimonials

“It went way beyond what you would normally expect in a presentation skills course – this is more than that.
It’s about understanding how to structure a presentation. How to engage the audience on a deep level and how to be really impactful with your messaging.”
Nicky Luke – Unlocking Potential – Recruitment & Talent Manager

Watch the full video testimonial here.

“The tools and techniques I learned then have stayed with me in my future roles and I have used them in many ways consciously and unconsciously.”
Carl Fitzsimons – Ecolab – Vice President HR

“What can I say about Martin? He not only has a huge range of tools in his developmental toolkits, he has the uncanny knack of knowing which tool is right for the job and the personal qualities to deploy each tool to best affect..“
Nik Green – Imerys – Learning & Development Specialist

Evolution Development

Evolution’s MD and Lead Coach is Martin Crump.

Following a background in Manufacturing and R&D, Martin Crump has spent over twenty years as a training and development professional working at a strategic level with individuals within organisations throughout the UK.

He taught Management Development at Manchester Metropolitan University and is an NLP Master Practitioner and Certified NLP Master Trainer. Recently, he co-authored ‘’How to Build an Ark’ A guide to project leadership in the 21st century.’ And ‘Evolve or Die. The ultimate self-help book.’ Both these books are available to buy from Amazon.

Martin is committed to facilitating the realisation of the potential of individuals, and through those individuals the potential of organisations they are part of.

FAQs

Q. I have done a previous presenting course – what is different about yours?
A. We introduce cutting-edge applied psychology tools and techniques to give you an edge. These include body language archetypes, how stories work at an unconscious level and the best way to use visual aids.

Q. Will I have to do a presentation on the course?
A. No, there will be an opportunity to practice some of the techniques in pairs and in the main group but you won’t be put on the spot

Q. Is there any follow-up support?
A. Yes, you will have the opportunity to tap into one to one coaching after the event to help you transfer and apply your learning

Q. Is lunch provided?
A. Yes – please let us know if you have any dietary requirements

Book your tickets

You can book your tickets online through Eventbrite.

Evolution On The Move

We have moved into a new office at the Health and Wellbeing Centre in Truro.

Ten years ago we were incredibly proud to move into the truly iconic Engine House in St. Agnes. The newly renovated building was a flagship project for Carrick District Council and the development was considered by them to be a “positive contribution to the World Heritage Status site.”

We successfully bid for shared tenancy with UKnetweb and we all moved in: Two businesses, one big happy family. We loved (and still love) this wonderful building as did everybody who visited.

However, it is fair to say that the building did not come without its problems. Before the renovation it had been roofless for over 60 years and it was never designed to be sealed and enclosed. It has been estimated that the walls hold approximately 40 tons of water so it is no surprise that damp was an issue from the start and visitors may remember that the building appeared to have a bad case of dandruff as we struggled to keep the paint on the walls.

Despite replacement pointing and the addition of an expensive air circulation system, the damp problem has become worse over time leading to extensive mould growth and, during certain weather conditions, water actually running down the inside walls.

So it is with great sadness that we have had to concede that the building is no longer a safe or healthy place to work and we have all moved out whilst we negotiate the best course of action with our Landlords at Cornwall Council.

Evolution is now based in The Health and Wellbeing Centre at Treliske. It is lovely to be surrounded by other, wonderful businesses and particularly nice to be warm and dry. We are considering this to be a very enjoyable sabbatical and hope to bring you news about the future of The Engine House soon.

If you are in the building feel free to pop in and say hello (unless we are out working with clients) otherwise you can continue to contact us on the same telephone number and email address.

+44 (0)1872 555939

So What’s All The Fuss About Coaching?

Over the last year or two at Evolution we have seen a significant increase in the number of clients seeking coaching and it’s probably not a coincidence that every newspaper and magazine I pick up seems to be full of articles about the benefits of Life Coaching, Business Coaching and Executive Coaching etc. Read More

Tag: coaching