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Another way of reality checking could be to try and change your environment.
For example, instead of checking a clock, you could close your eyes, think of the most vivid environment you can (This does not mean colorful, just different from where you are, therefore, that you know the best), and focus on it.
Open your eyes and see if your environment has changed to the envisioned environment.
That could be a good idea for someone who has excellent dream control, but I know that I've had trouble with controlling my environment in my LD's, and I consider myself an expert.
It's good that you're thinking on it in your waking hours though. :) This will help with lucidity for sure. :)
It's good for people with fair dream control, but some, even ifthey're dream control is good, could forget that they're dreaming when they open their eyes and find themselves somewhere else, even if it's where you wanted to be, because of a DC [it does happen].
For people with little dream control, a good RC is to jump in the air and if you're dreaming you'll usually float, so you might want to do that about 2-3 times if it doesn't work the first time since one of the most common things LDers master is at least becoming airborne [first part of flying, getting in the air ^^]