Yes, we all know that we should be exercising — it's the actual doing that's the hard part. That's where walking comes in: It's accessible and it has a surprising amount of health benefits, which range from boosting your energy levels and mood to decreasing your chances of catching the flu (always a win in our book).

Basically, it's a great physical activity that anyone can do at their own pace and get a workout no matter what their fitness level. And according to the World Health Organization (WHO), adults aged 18-64 should "do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or do at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity."

And you know what? 150 minutes doesn't actually translate to all that much walking — that's a little over 20 minutes per day, which is easy to fit in during your lunch break, etc. Keep reading to see exactly why you should incorporate a little walking into your daily routine.

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Talking a walk outside in nature has been shown to reduce stress. There have been a number of studies which found that the more time you spend outdoors, the more stress you relieve. It can also help improve your memory and attention, which can really come in handy when you have a highly stressful job that is constantly demanding — sometimes, the simple answer is to spend more time outside walking so that you can reap the benefits of exercise and nature.

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According to a 2008 study from the University of Georgia, if you're a normally a sedentary person (as in, you get less than 30 minutes of exercise a week) and you feel tired all the time, you can actually increase your energy levels by 20 percent and decrease your fatigue by 65 percent by engaging in regular, low intensity exercise like walking.

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There's a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, dementia and Alzheimer's, several types of cancer, and some complications in pregnancy the more active you are, according to Heart.org. You're also more likely to sleep better, have better balance and bone health and experience fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety. Sounds like a win to us!

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According to Forbes, a study done in 2013 says walking can reduce the risk of coronary artery disease by 9.3 percent and the risk of elevated blood pressure by 7.2 percent. It can also reduce cholesterol levels.

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