There are three main precautionary steps you should take with regards to being cognizant of your surroundings. Being aware of your surrounding is not only proactive, but it could prevent a dangerous situation from arising. Those three steps are time, setting and common sense. To break these steps down a little more, it will also be important to see how they all interrelate.
Time is a crucial element for being alert with regards to your surroundings. Furthermore, time in the sense that walking home late at night in a city is poor judgment call. In addition, the time of day can indicate whether or not it is a good idea to do something. For example, walking through a park during the day seems like a no brainer. What could be the harm in that? However, walking through the same park at night could prove to be a bad move. There is a fine line between doing things during the day and at night.
Setting is a crucial element as well. This relates to time in the sense that you should always be aware of your location. Even if you walk through a park during the day, you should still be cautious of your immediate surroundings. For instance, walking through a tunnel underpass during the day could prove a poor decision. In this regard, time can also be dependent on the setting. Another piece of advice about the setting is that you should stick with a group, if you are alone. Further, walking down a crowded city street is safer than taking a short cut through a vulnerable area.
Lastly, common sense may seem like overstating the obvious, but it is sometimes unacknowledged. The main point of common sense is to remember that escape should be your number one priority in a dangerous situation. If somebody is robbing you while trying to control your actions with a weapon, this is a clear sign that you should try to escape as soon as possible. Moreover, the number one strategy of self-defense is escape. If someone has a knife or gun and holds you up for your wallet, then you should hand it to them and run as fast as you can. Chances are if they are trying to control your actions, then there is more than your wallet they want.
Using common sense, time and setting can be a lifesaver. The aim of being aware of your surroundings is to divert and prevent a dangerous situation from evolving. The most important thing is your safety. This should never be compromised. If a situation arises, the best thing to do is wait for the right time to escape.