15 Ways to Improve Situational Awareness at Home, While Traveling, and at Work

Modern life is busy and distracting. But whether you’re protecting your kids at home, boarding a flight, or closing up the office after hours, one skill consistently keeps you safer: situational awareness.

At Seek and Shield, we teach families and businesses to train their eyes, ears, and instincts to notice what others miss. Below are 15 practical ways — with detailed examples — to sharpen awareness at home, while traveling, and at work. We encourage you to talk to your loved ones on a regular basis so everyone is practicing becoming more aware of their surroundings.

🏠 At Home

1. Know Your Neighbors

Introduce yourself and exchange phone numbers with the families around you. So often we live years nextdoor to people and don't even know their full name and phone numbers.

Example: If your neighbor notices an unfamiliar van circling the block when you’re out of town, they can alert you — or law enforcement — quickly. Having a lifeline feet from you can really come in handy for many reasons.

Bonus tip: Join (or start) a neighborhood watch group.

2. Pay Attention to Entry Points

Lock doors and windows at all times, even when you’re home. Criminals look for easy access. One burglary happens every 35 seconds and most burgalaries happen between 10am - 3pm. July - August are the busiest months for break-ins and Mondays are the most frequent day of the week - so stay vigilant!

Example: Many burglaries occur through unlocked back doors in broad daylight. A smart lock, video surveillance at all doors (not just the front door) or door sensor can reduce this risk.

3. Vary Your Routine

Predictable patterns make it easier for someone to learn your schedule.

Example: If you always jog at 7:00 a.m., consider switching days or routes occasionally. This makes you less predictable to anyone watching.

BONUS SAFETY TIPS:

• Do NOT wear headphones/earbuds in both ears - keep one ear gadget free, the sound low

• Keep your head on a swivel - to inlcude periodically looking behind you.

• Always let someone you trust know your route and what time you should return by - check-in with them upon returning so someone knows you made it back safely.

• Consider wearing gps tracking watches or brining your phone with apps like Life360 that connects only to select people you trust so they can see your location in real time.

4. Be Alert to Delivery & Service Workers

Verify IDs for maintenance, delivery, or utility workers before opening the door.

Example: Ask for a work order number or call the company directly. Criminals often pose as service workers. If someone is making you uncomfortable for any reason tell them you have a family emergency and need to reschedule. They should be willing to leave quickly - if they resist/are hesitant to leave call 911.

Bonus Tip: Look up and save your local non-emergency police line in your phone so it is at your disposal for a wide variety of needs.

5. Practice Family Drills

Role-play scenarios with kids: what to do if someone knocks when parents aren’t home, or if a smoke alarm goes off at night.

Example: Practice a “code word” that only trusted adults know so children won’t leave with strangers.

✈️ While Traveling

6. Scan Your Surroundings

When entering a hotel, restaurant, or train station, take 10 seconds to identify exits and potential safe zones. Select the table and chair that face the front doors and lookout to the majority of the people in the space when possible, keeping your back close to a wall.

Example: Count how many doors you pass between your room and the nearest exit — useful if smoke makes it hard to see.

7. Protect Your Personal Information

Never post real-time travel updates or dates for an upcoming trip on social media; it signals your home is empty. Don't post about your childrens schedules, clubs/associations or upcoming events. Oversharing about our kids is tempting as a proud parent, but it puts them at risk for predators.

Example: Avoid tossing boarding passes and luggage stickers in public trash bins — QR codes on them can reveal personal data.

8. Limit Distractions

Phones and earbuds make you an easier target for pickpockets.

Example: In busy markets abroad, keep your bag zipped, hand on it, and glance up every 30 seconds instead of burying yourself in texts.

9. Blend In

Dress and act like locals as much as possible. Loud tourist clothing or displaying luxury brands can make you stand out.

Example: A cross-body bag instead of a flashy backpack, neutral colors instead of “I ♥ NY” shirts.

10. Trust Your Gut

Intuition often reacts to subtle danger cues before logic does. There is a gut-brain access with direct connection between the two. There is a reason it is called a "gut feeling".

Example: If a ride-share driver refuses to confirm your name or destination, cancel the ride and find another.

💼 At Work

11. Know Who Belongs

Familiarize yourself with who normally works in your building or department. Make eye contact and greet co-workers on a regular basis. Those that don't belong will sometimes have trouble making eye contact or engaging with you. Even making casual conversation can help deter someone becuase they realize they are not going under the radar. Ask what department they are in or how long they have been working there, sound sincerely interested and friendly to see their response.

Example: If someone is lingering near sensitive files or restricted areas without ID, don’t dismiss it — report it.

12. Secure Your Workspace

Lock screens, desk drawers, and doors when unattended. Even in an environment you feel you can trust. Sometimes even good people find themselves in morally compromising situations and can be tempted to invade your privacy for a variety of reasons.

Example: A laptop left open in a conference room during lunch can be stolen or tampered with in minutes.

13. Maintain Exit Awareness

Regularly refresh your memory of evacuation routes and emergency exits - walk them so they become ingrained in your mind and body. You may think you know, but when an emergency happens and adrenaline is pumping through our body our minds can get fuzzy - we want our safety plan to feel like second nature.

Example: If an active shooter event occurs, knowing there’s a back stairwell two doors down could save critical seconds.

14. Monitor Behavior Changes

Stay attuned to shifts in coworkers’ behavior — stress, aggression, anxiousness or secrecy can be early warning signs.

Example: A colleague suddenly making violent jokes or expressing rage about leadership may warrant discreet reporting to HR or security. Be sure to log the specific details and dates of any inapporopriate or unusual behavior - you can start notes in your phone that you can quickly send to HR or other authorities if needed.

15. Avoid Tunnel Vision

Build “awareness checks” into your day. Every hour, pause to scan your environment. Set alerts on your phone as a reminder until it becomes a habit.

Example: When walking to the parking garage, avoid rushing with your head down or looking at your phone. Look around, note other people nearby, look in your car backseat before getting in and keep your keys ready.

Final Thoughts

Situational awareness is not paranoia — it’s prevention. It’s the art of noticing small details, identifying patterns, and adjusting your behavior before danger escalates.

By practicing these 15 steps at home, on the road, and in the workplace, you’re not just protecting yourself — you’re protecting your family, your team, and your peace of mind.

At Seek & Shield, we provide training, investigations, and on-going education to help families and organizations put these skills into action every day.

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