Clean your garage

Yesterday at work I hit Inbox zero (yes, it does happen on occassion). I had finished processing my e-mail, assigned tasks in my help desk queue and processed my inbox (this one is the most simple conceptually but always garners the most resistance). I was left in the eutopian world free of distraction known as mind like water for a little while and was able to move forward on a couple of key projects and set them up to move with their own momentum which should last a week or two. Big success. But what did that leave me when I went home?

A ton of extra energy, and I have to tell you it felt great. Then I walked into my bed room/office and witnessed the tornado create by myself and Sarah just going back to class and not being home as much. Laundry was everywhere, there were papers pouring out of the entertainment center, school books were all over the floor and the desk was a cluttered mess (mostly my mess too, Sarah is running 14 units so she isn't home enough to make one). What happened?

I almost took on the victim role. It was 16:30 and I had Pan-Technicon at 18:30 so I almost turned on the TV, waited till class began and left to class leaving the mess waiting for me and crowding up most of my psychic RAM. But no, I had been praying pretty hard for guidance and God tapped me on the shoulder and said "No Brian, you have 2 full hours, this is the time you never get to clean and since you were able to clean the decks at work, you have the energy to do it". And I did. And the cool thing about it was amazing creative power was released. The energy I took from work was devoted to the room which, as I made progress, released more energy inspiring me to move my computer to a night stand on the right side of my desk creating study room and room for my inbox which was previously crowded next to my noisy PC.

I finished at 18:25 and was able to make it to class with renewed energy and have enough energy to spend some time with my good friend Daniel after (And for those of you who know I am training for a run, I did not drink any beer) and was inspired to practice some Iaido.

So this is a great example of a David Allen principle. "A surefire way to inspire a creative visions is to clean your garage...closet, desk, room, etc"