Un-optimising Dog Walks

I was enjoying the sunshine and taking my hounds for their lunchtime walk. One of them did what all dogs (and humans) need to do, poo.

Being a responsible owner I fished out a poo bag from my pocket and scooped the offending item up, tying it tightly. I carried on walking, paused and then turned around. There was a litter bin, just 20 yards behind me.

Usually I just keep on going on my route until the next bin. Somewhere in my head I had conditioned myself to only go forward. To stop, turn round and go backwards would be odd. It would make my walk longer, more meandering, less efficient. I thought about this for a while and then deliberately walk back to the bin.

I realised that even in my dog walking, what should be an opportunity to bond with my hounds, appreciate nature, rest and think, had turned into something I managed and made efficient. Machine thinking. I had optimised it to the point of it being just another task to tick off.

No More.

From now on I'm un-optimising my walks. Taking them back to a more dog friendly opportunity for surprise, inefficiency, and human/dog powered discovery and fun.