Do you feel like you never have enough time? At the end of the day, do you collapse on your couch, tired and overwhelmed and feeling like you didn’t get everything done that you wanted to accomplish? As you rush around in the morning, do you feel guilty seeing your dog by the front door with eyes that sadly ask, “No walk, again?”

Animal lovers, especially, want more quality time to spend with their nonhuman friends. It may seem counterintuitive, but walking your dog can actually add time to your life. Consider the following three points:

1. Spend Time to Make Time

Have you heard the expression that you have to spend money to make money? Well, just substitute the word time for money. There’s no way around it—people with dogs have to invest some time in walking them. That’s part of the deal when you welcome a canine into your home. And walking your companion can actually expand your sense of time. Take a cue from dogs and do what they do. They don’t go for a walk just to get from here to there—they go for the experience. And engaging their senses is a crucial part of that experience.

When’s the last time that you really engaged your five senses? How often do you look at the color of the sky, feel the breeze on your face, or listen to the wind in the trees? Do you stop to smell the various aromas in the air or taste the seasons? Yes, they actually have a taste! Awakening your senses as you walk with your dog can help you tune in to the most precious moment in time, one your dog lives in 24/7—the present. Focusing on the present moment makes time feel more expansive, connects you to your environment, your dog, and, ultimately, to yourself. Taking a break with your dog also allows you to refocus so that when you get back home, you’ll feel refreshed and get a lot more done.

2. Sitting Is the New Smoking

Did you know that a sedentary lifestyle can shorten your life? Walking with your best friend gives you a chance to work your muscles, stretch your ligaments, and get oxygen moving through your lungs. In Chinese medicine, the enemy of the human body is stagnation. If we don’t move it, it will get sick and die. Here again, walking your dog is buying you time, in terms of longevity. And your dog will enjoy the same benefits, too. Walking buys both of you extra time by keeping you fit and healthy.

3. Serving Serves the Server

I spent time walking rescued dogs in animal shelters. What I didn’t realize was the impact that being of service would have on my own well-being. Volunteering helps reduce blood pressure, encourages social connection, and may even help us live longer. All these life-enhancing benefits can add to our physical and emotional well-being and stack the odds in our favor when it comes to having more time on the planet.

So the next time that you’re feeling overwhelmed by a lack of time, instead of becoming stressed, go for a walk. Your dog may find a bone, and you may find something even more precious—time. Stay pawsitive!

Carlyn

***

Carlyn Montes De Oca was named PETA’s Sexiest Vegetarian Over 50 in 2011. She’s an acupuncturist, a plant-based nutritional consultant, and the author of the upcoming book Dog as My Doctor, Cat as My Nurse: An Animal Lover’s Guide to a Healthy, Happy, and Extraordinary Life.

Ten percent of the proceeds from the sale of the book will go toward rescues and shelters to help animals in need.

***