Self-checkout has been a thing in stores for quite a while. And I’ve always avoided it. Until this past year.
I like being waited on.
And I always figured why should I do the cashier’s job for free?
Then one day at Target the regular ol’ checkout lines were longer than usual.
And the self-checkout wasn’t.
What the heck? I gave it a try.
It was new so it took me a little bit to get the hang of it. But there was a nice young man helping and he helped me figure it out. It wasn’t so bad after all.
I actually liked it.
And it was because I could take my time!
I’ve written a lot in this blog about how rushing and stress contribute to excess tension and poor posture.
One of the places I often feel rushed is in the checkout line. Especially if it’s after work hours and the store is particularly busy. And people are impatiently trying to get their shopping done so they can get home.
Often the next person in line is practically breathing down your neck as she waits her turn. Often standing right where you need to be to put your card in the reader.
The cashier rushes you through and starts on with the next person before you’ve got things even half-packed. You do your best to get your groceries tucked away in their bags, but then the next person’s milk, lettuce, and frozen meat come marching down the belt and running into your stuff.
A traffic pile up on the grocery interstate. (I live in the city, the grocery store is not terribly spacious and there’s not a lot of room at the end of the belt).
I just find it really unpleasant.
It’s a real challenge for me to not feel rushed and annoyed. And tense.
But at the self-checkout, I was in charge!
I could decide how fast or slow I wanted to go.
It was actually relaxing. I couldn’t believe it.
The tension that creeps into my neck and shoulders when I’m feeling rushed was not there.
Earlier today I was in my local Target. It was busy as usual.
And guess which line I checked out in?
You guessed it—the self-checkout.
My body thanked me for it!
Image by Quinn Kampschroer from Pixabay
