How many steps do you take a day? Inspired by a recommendation by Dr. Oz, I bought a $23 pedometer and have started tracking my steps. Dr. Oz recommends taking 10,000 steps a day as a good aim for a healthy, active lifestyle. Yesterday I just hit 10,000 by doing a day's worth of errands, laundry, and housecleaning. I know not every day is so active for me -- many much less so. My goal is to hit 10,000 steps a day, 4 days a week for the next month.

Tracking my steps is a fitness project and a mindfulness project, but it is also is a productivity project.

On days I work from home, I am much more productive if I start my morning with even a short walk outside the house. Getting out of the house and taking a walk first-thing wakes me up and focuses my mind. Mid-day, walking can take me from a dull, foggy work slump to a sharp and alert state of mind in five minutes. It can also give my mood a significant boost.

Have you noticed that you are more productive when you shift your physical state?