I have personally never enjoyed walking as a time to think or mentally relax. If anything, it stresses me out as my mind wonders around, obsesses, etc. I find that doing more strenuous activities or activities that require more attention, such as various yard and gardening work, do more to clear my mind.
It’s the same thing with lifting weights or running. They are so monotonous and boring that I would much rather do hard physical labor or some sporting activity that gets mind going on some other activity.
Weightlifting is the only one that's ever really clicked for me, and I think it's cause I feel like I'm making some sort of obvious progress. Getting strong and being able to lift more, seeing muscles grow, pushing myself and exhausting my muscles, knowing I'm getting those micro-tears that will heal back even stronger.
Plus being at a gym, around other people who are working out feels motivating. Including more attractive women around than I'm used to ever seeing in day-to-day life!
I am lifting weights to help combat fatigue so I sort of "have to" do it as a medicine. I treat it like a time to chill out. At least half the time is resting, and I only use the phone to check the time. Get some good music going and it is a fun way to relax and not think of much.
I also refuse to be there much more than 1 hour. Years ago I used to have these 2 hour sessions of all kinds of stuff with half hour treadmill at the end, and you know what ... it gets boring and I give up. Better to do an hour 2-3 times a week for life than a ambitious thing that I give up.
Yea, I really need to get back into, especially as I am not getting any younger and working from has really dampered my physical activity. I still won't like it. Never did, even when I was in peak condition.
I found martial arts (Muay Thai and Capoeira in my case) to be a good way to stay healthy. I always found exercise boring and unfulfilling, but with martial arts I was "Learning a Skill", and needed to get fitter and stronger in order to improve. Just a bit of a psychological trick I used on myself to keep at it.
Maybe you are a social sports person. Football, tennis, etc.
One non-social sport that I found I enjoyed was putting some globes on and punching a punching bag. I have not taken classes and probably I am doing everything wrong, but it releases a lot of adrenaline.
It’s the same thing with lifting weights or running. They are so monotonous and boring that I would much rather do hard physical labor or some sporting activity that gets mind going on some other activity.