I got SOOO much done today!

Is that how you’d like to feel?   Me too.

This morning was a bit unusual but it reminded me of some great tools to increasing productivity and the feeling of satisfaction of accomplishment that brings. It’s worth if for the mental connection and calm that can be obtained.

First off, today I have no car and no wifi. What!!!
All of the sudden the “Urgent. Service Immediately” light came on the dash of my car.  I flipped a U-turn and headed straight to my favorite import repair. Thankfully easy to fix, but the car is there for the whole day. No wifi as I attempt to get caught up at a house on a house I have on the market in a very small town in southeast Washington. No car. No wifi.

For a lot of people this would be debilitating or a huge diversion from to their daily goals.

Really it’s been one of the best mornings in a long time. Setting up your day so that it’s devoid of distraction and the obsessive pulls in life and society is very freeing. It been a new practice of mine over the last couple of years to implement ways to get away from those time and attention thieves.

Here’s what happened the FIRST time I tried to implement a break from one of the obsessive social pulls with a no drive day.

A no drive day!  What?  Yes, I’m serious.

It’s fantastic. The first time I decided to implement this and by noon I was seriously uncomfortable. But I was determined to save the earth a little bit for all of our grandchildren’s future. IF I could pull this off.

I started the day with working at home. By noon I was feeling very uncomfortable and a bit lost in this new space. I decided the best remedy was to enjoy a short walk and lunch. Since I’d planned this day, there were provisions for a delicious lunch to nourish my body. Next a lunch time walk to removed the trapped feeling. Oh yes, that was the perfect cure.

While out enjoying some midday sun, I decided running errands after work seemed like a great idea. Normal thoughts, right? Hmmm….wonder what that looks like? With the feel of the fresh air and the knowledge of shopping only about a mile or two from my place, inspiration to fill the 'how' question easily came.

An empowering feeling filled my mind and heart. This is fun I told myself.  I prepared for errands late afternoon by loading a something that needed returned, my list, and money out of my purse and into my backpack. I was off. Again, it had a great feeling of empowerment and joy, this time I was more calm, especially watching the traffic hurry by. I was determination to keep my focus and had a promise to myself in place….to only do what I could, to get home before dark, and to completely enjoying the process. It worked. I grew! I let got of American expectation and habit. I found a slice of peace from changing pace by having a no drive day. Now I do this, use my bike for transportation due to a move and also purpose no wifi mornings much more often. I might have saved the earth a little tiny bit but also gained so much for me. What a surprise! What happened? Many insights came and a weird, new, exciting, feeling of peace and power.

The reward = a little bit of saving the earth and peace in my personal mind and soul.

Plan it.

Try it.

Let us know how it goes for you by sharing a comment on my blog after you’ve given it your best try.