Whatever the question is in my life, walking has always been the answer. Struggling with a work issue? Go for a walk. Been indoors too long? Walk it is. Heartbroken? Hungover? Happy? You guessed it: throw on your comfiest trainers and get outside in nature.
From a quick lap of my local park to a rambling three-hour stroll, walking has helped me stay physically and mentally fit for most of my adult life. It really came into its own during lockdown. Living alone, putting on my favourite podcast (Sentimental Garbage, in case you were wondering) and going for a long walk became my daily ritual. When I had my first child last year, I walked miles and miles a day, taking urban adventures at any time of day or night, as my baby napped peacefully in his pram.
Walking has always held parallel spaces in my life: simultaneously a chance to disappear into my thoughts and a way to stay connected to the world outside my window. Which is why I now no longer leave the house without my new Huawei FreeArc open-ear earbuds. Having been lucky enough to receive a pair before their release, I’m here to tell you they’re the one piece of kit no walk or workout should be without.
The FreeArc are different to traditional in-ear earbuds because they are specifically designed to allow you to hear your surroundings, as well as whatever podcast or album you’re obsessed with that week. This is vital if, like me, you often go running wearing your headphones or need to be able to keep a constant ear out for the tiny human snoozing or screaming like a banshee in front of you. As a writer who works in open-plan offices, I often wear my FreeArc at work, safely cocooned in my aural concentration space, listening to classical music while able to dip into important work conversations (okay fine, ferocious cross-desk TV chatter).
Huawei FreeArc
Don’t for one minute think that because they’re not noise cancelling, you have to compromise on audio quality. They deliver amazing sound quality, volume and a punchy bass, handy for those moments where you really need a little boost. Even on a packed commuter train, I can disappear into an audio book while still being able to hear service announcements. Game changer.
And, if you’re fed up of your earbuds falling out of your ears while you’re pounding the pavement, then the FreeArc design, which sits securely on the ear without causing strain, will be – uhhh – music to your ears (sorry not sorry).
So if walking or exercising outdoors is your solution to life’s bigger questions, if you’re thinking of taking your indoor workout into the open air this spring, or if you just need a way to tune in the good stuff and filter out the distractions at work and in life, then consider the Huawei FreeArc your ideal audio companion.
Get £20 off the Huawei FreeArc at Huawei.com until 1 April
I mainly oversee the print side of Cosmopolitan but you can also find me here writing about travel, relationships, fitness and my enduring love of dating-related reality TV.