Digital Cleanse Day 17:

Don’t Walk and Text

Do you walk and text? Distracted walkers are a hazard to themselves and to others. Just yesterday, I had to stop my car in the road and honk at a texting pedestrian walking into oncoming traffic.  Pedestrian and vehicle accidents are on the rise and the pedestrians are partially to blame. [Update: New Jersey is contemplating fines and jail time for texting pedestrians colliding with vehicles.] Walk and text time has terrible side effects:

• It slows your pace,
• impairs your judgement,
• increases your response time and
• distracts you from your surroundings.

It’s like drinking and driving without the car.

Time to go for a walk.

A little exercise is a great addition to your digital cleanse. If we all need to take 10,000 steps a day, let’s try not to get injured by texting at the same time. Stand tall. Shoulders back. Breathe. Stretch. See what’s around you. Make eye contact with drivers. Smile at passersby. Notice the clouds. And text some other time.

More on the 30 day #digitalcleanse tomorrow. Hope to see you then!

(If you missed yesterday’s installment, take a couple extra minutes to explore Establish Your Response Time. For links to the complete Digital Cleanse series, click here.)