Why I do it?

• Tech says here is a solution, do you have a problem? (we are a nodejs developers, do you want nodejs developers). Marketing says, you have a problem, here is how I can help (do you want to launch your product quickly and scale? Here is how I will build that solution. btw it happens to be built in nodejs, which is used by most of the fortune 100 companies). Guess what, marketing puts food on the table. Earlier we, developers, understand that, we will become better marketers and we don't have to depend on others to do it for us. Even in big companies, like Infosys, if a developer knows abt marketing, it makes them lot more valuable.
• Even within companies, there is always prioritization of focus. There is limited resource available (money, attention ..). So if you want to build a competency or focus on a particular technology, you need to convince the management. Sales and marketing skills help there too.

How much time?

• When I started to add that to my skills, I spent awful lot of time. Now it has become almost a routine, so I'm fine-tuning. It's like learning new language.

I don't know the science behind it, but walking helps a lot. Even on a personal level, I take a walk if I have to think deep about something; I take a walk whenever I have to set objectives and key results for myself and the team.