How I Get 10,000+ Steps Every Day (Without Trying)

Small choices that quietly add up to 12,000 steps a day

For most people, hitting 10,000 steps feels like a chore.

Something you should do.
Something you plan to do.
Something you usually don’t end up doing.

For me, it’s the opposite.

I’ve averaged well over 10,000 steps per day for the last ~3 years. Often closer to 12,000. And at this point, I don’t track it obsessively or plan walks into my calendar. It just… happens.

That didn’t come from motivation.
It came from systems.

Here are the habits that made daily steps effortless and automatic.

Why should you even care?

I genuinely believe that walking is one of the most underrated habits out there.

I even wrote a full blog post about the benefits of walking here:

So without any further ado, let’s get into the tips and tools that helped me the most.

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1. Always Take the Stairs

At work. At home. At airports. At train stations.

Escalator or elevator is the default for most people.
Stairs became my default.

One stair decision barely matters.
Three or four per day compounds fast.

Over a month? Thousands of extra steps.
Over a year? A completely different baseline.

This works because:

• No extra time required

• No willpower once it’s habitual

• No “workout mindset” needed

It’s just choosing the slightly harder path, consistently.

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2. Park Further Away (On Purpose)

Most people optimize for minimum walking.

I do the opposite.

When I drive somewhere—work, groceries, gym—I deliberately park further away.

This gives you three benefits at once:

• Forced walking, no negotiation

• 500–1,000+ extra steps with zero effort

• Easier parking (less circling, less stress)

You don’t notice it day to day.
You feel it over months.

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3. Drink More Water (This One Is Sneaky)

This is an indirect step hack, but one of the most reliable.

More water → more bathroom trips → more standing up → more walking.

You break long sitting blocks automatically.
Your body moves without “deciding” to move.

Which brings me to the next layer.

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4. Don’t Fill Your Bottle All the Way

I almost never fill my bottle completely.

Instead:

• I drink the same amount overall

• But I refill more often

That means:

• More trips to the kitchen

• More trips to the bathroom

• More excuses to stand up

And when I’m already up…

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5. Use the Further Bathroom

If there’s a bathroom nearby and one a bit further away—even on another floor—I take the longer route.

This sounds stupidly small.
It’s not.

These “micro-walks” stack all day long, especially in office environments where people barely move.

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6. Walk After Meals

A short walk after eating does two things:

• Improves blood sugar regulation

• Adds steps at a time where people usually sit

This doesn’t need to be a long walk.
5–10 minutes is enough.

Think of it as brushing your teeth for your metabolism.

I wrote more about why walking is so underrated in a separate issue, but the short version is this:

Walking is one of the highest ROI health habits there is.

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7. Walk First Thing in the Morning

If you can do one intentional walk per day, make it a morning one.

Even a short walk:

• Resets mood

• Clears mental fog

• Starts the day without rush

It sets the tone.

Once you start the day moving, it’s much easier to keep moving.

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8. The Nuclear Option: Walking Pad + Standing Desk

This was the thing that had the biggest impact for me.

A walking pad under a standing desk completely changes the game.

While working:

• Slow walking

• No impact on focus

• 2,000–4,000 steps per hour

When I use mine, I can hit my daily step goal before the workday is even over.

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The Real Lesson

None of these tips are impressive on their own.

That’s the point.

Each one adds a small amount of movement.
Together, they change your baseline.

You stop asking:
“Did I walk enough today?”

And start living like someone who just… moves.

That’s how habits stick.
Not through effort, but through defaults.

Make movement unavoidable.
Make the good path frictionless.

And suddenly, 10,000 steps isn’t a goal anymore.
It’s just how your day works.

Thanks for reading!
— Tobi

💡 Question: What are some tricks you use to get more steps in?