17 Observations From a Technology-Free Walk

DJ Waldow Tweet

I just returned from a 78-minute, technology-free* walk.

I had to go to the bank to deposit a few checks, then decided to keep walking around my neighborhood. As the tweet says above, I needed to recharge. Other then a few text messages (see below), I did not look at my phone. No email. No Facebook. No Twitter. No calls.

This is what I observed:

  1. Gasoline-powered automobiles are loud and smelly.
  2. There are not a lot of other people walking around in the late afternoon.
  3. People use the drive-thru at Wendy’s at all times of the day.
  4. There is a utility pole in my neighborhood with hundreds of tacks and nails in it.
  5. Many people are dumping their Christmas trees on the curb for pick up this week.
  6. Not too many houses still have Christmas lights on them.
  7. Dogs tend to bark when you walk by them.
  8. If you smile and say hello to someone as you approach them, they are likely to return the favor.
  9. A good pair of sunglasses helps on a sunny day.
  10. Walking downhill can be just as tough as walking uphill.
  11. My right knee is not at 100%.
  12. There is a house in my neighborhood that has a water fountain in it’s front yard.
  13. There are some beautiful houses in my neighborhood.
  14. Most people are not home in the middle of the day.
  15. The house two down from ours is under contract (finally).
  16. My dog greets me at the door like she hasn’t seen me in years.
  17. I need to go on more technology-free walks.

*I sent & replied to a few text messages – one to coordinate with my sister for a Skype chat with my niece tonight (she turned 9 today) and one with my wife figure out who was picking up Eva from daycare.

I left my house with a lot on my mind. I returned recharged, refocused, and ready to tackle what’s ahead. For those that know me, you know that I love technology. I love that we are just one click away from connecting with just about anyone in the world. That being said, I think too often we are tethered to that technology (myself included). Always checking. Always updating. Always sharing. Always seeing what we may have missed. As Chris Brogan wrote last month, You’re Not As Busy As You Think.

It’s okay to walk away sometimes. Check that. It’s critical to walk away sometimes. Your mind, your body needs it.

Do me a favor? Try it sometime in the next few days. Just walk, technology-free.

DJ Waldow
Waldow Social
@djwaldow