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Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Ditch the Distractions

Sometimes it is too easy to become distracted while walking, both by internal and external factors. The ever present cell phone is demanding attention; traffic is raising noise levels; that big meeting tomorrow is demanding unjustified worrying. These are just a few of the distractions that can interfere with the goal of recreational walking – relaxation!!

To overcome this, here are a few steps to follow. First, choose your location. Get away from your your normal turf. Go to a place where the traffic is minimal, the country, a park, or, during the week, a residential area where everyone is at work. With the crime rate the way it is, it would be best to choose an upscale area, preferably where you can have at least one person to vouch for you as nothing ruins a good walk like neighborhood watch and/or the city police having you spread eagled on the ground.

Second, shut off the cell phone. Life can get by without you for an hour; this is why God invented voicemail. Instead, invest in a small MP3 player such as the iPod nano. Load it up with some rousing classical music or an audiobook. Keep the volume fairly low, and practice staying minimally aware of your surroundings as you are effectively deaf while listening.

The results are amazing. After a few minutes of body and mind warmup, you will find yourself relaxing, your mood lifting. Try to keep moving, working just a light sweat to remind you of the calories being burned.

Enjoy!

Doug
The LA Brother

SanDisk Sansa Clip+ 4 GB MP3 Player (Black)