Taking a walk without my AirPods
I love consuming audio. I constantly have something playing in the background, whether music, radio shows, podcasts, audiobooks, or just someone playing a game on Twitch. I even helped start an audio-based company. I used to joke that I got tired of my inner dialog nagging at me, so I listened to audio to override it.
Yesterday, during my usual walk around the neighborhood, I left my AirPods at home. It was weird leaving them behind on purpose because they have become my favorite Apple product ever since they came out. They’ve been with me through many COVID meetings, walks around the park, travels, and late nights feeding a newborn.
When walking my usual path, I noticed how much my neighbor’s cactus had grown and noticed new flowers that had blossomed. Even though I walked by it everyday, I was so consumed by the podcast I was listening to, my eyes were virtually shut. I then started to notice my train of thought wander based on random things I was seeing and I started to reflect on my own memories. When I came back, I felt refreshed in a different way.
One of my favorite WFH advice is to take a walk regularly. Luckily, I have a dog that would remind me to go for it twice a day. But I did not realize that when I took my AirPods along for a walk, I was taking my mental state from work with me. I was still taking calls, I was still listening to the same podcast before I left, I was still listening to the same song while I was coding. I’d never left my desk at all.
I’m not going to stop loving the AirPods but I’ll be taking more walks without them.
