It was a pretty normal day as I rushed out the door with my hands filled with all the things that I needed for the day. Then, I had the thought “Ah, I’ve got to run out, and let the chickens out!” Actually letting them out was only a small annoyance, forgetting to shut them in was the real anxiety. What if something else gets in there at night? There has got to be a better way. For the Ag teachers and farmers out there, don’t judge.
The first new normal day
But this day was different. A split second after my anxiety-inducing “chicken thought”, came a peace-returning memory. I remembered the night before I had installed an automatic robotic chicken coop door. After reading 46,000 hours worth of reviews on Amazon I finally settled on one of the cheapest ones I could find. It had zero reviews. It was a risk but I figured if it didn’t work, at least I wasn’t out the big bucks for the highly-rated door. While I was at work the day before, the plastic door had arrived. I couldn’t help but rush out with a cordless drill in hand and install it. I was eager to replace the door that I had to operate with my hand.
Counting the true cost
Though cheap, this replacement had an automatic light-sensing motor! All I had to do was induce the birthing process from its womb of excessive cardboard and bubble wrap. After a quick bonding session, I was off to get it installed. Aside from a few wire scratches the installation went smoothly. When I popped the batteries in the chickens seemed intrigued by what would happen next. As the door opened itself I swear one hen winked at me as if to say, “That’s what I’m talking about.” Then, she led the other hens right into the coop to see if I had made other improvements.
Priceless realizations
But in the morning as I gathered my things to head out, I forgot about the newly installed door. And the moment that I remembered it that there was one less thing I had to do. A smile crept across my face. It was like one of those older credit card commercials. “Automatic chicken door… $40. Three AA batteries… $4. Time spent on installation… 10 minutes. Knowing you have one less thing to do every morning and evening for the rest of eternity… PRICELESS.”
counterintuitive action
By taking one action I simplified my life. I saved countless future time, thought, frustration, and anxiety. The act of simplification altered my mood and the amount of energy I felt. Thinking about another task to complete before heading out the door was draining. But realizing I had one LESS thing to do was energizing. Who couldn’t use more positive energy with which to attack the day?
the choice to create the day you want
I am dictating most of this on my way to work at 7 am, so how can I declare this the best day ever? I can confidently declare this to be the best day ever because of those moments. They simplify life and close the loops that our brain is trying to complete. They bring levity to our minds and emotions. That feeling of lightness in place of stress gives us a boost. It impacts our attitude and outlook, making it easier to CHOOSE to have the best day ever. Yes, we choose how our day will go. I’m not saying we have control over the circumstances. We do, however, have control over how we interpret them, feel about them, and respond to them.
pay attention to the little things
So as you go about your day today, take note of all the little things. The frustrations, routine annoyances, and “extra” tasks that pop up in your mind. The things you otherwise wouldn’t realize you were holding onto. They might be on your work to-do list. They might be on your home to-do list. They might be on your honey-do list. Whatever they are, jot them down.
three easy ways to make every day Better
Now, ask yourself, is there something that you can do to eliminate them? It may cost you a little bit more time upfront, but the reward far outweighs the cost. When you establish a values hierarchy it clarifies the things that are worth protecting with an upfront investment. Here are some practical ways you can “pay once” and reap freedom later.
- Unsubscribe from everything nonessential. If you delete an email daily rather than unsubscribe, you’re wasting time every day. The time it takes to clear it once and for all is a bit more but it’s a one-time choice that pays dividends daily.
- Batch your meal prep. If you make a sandwich for lunch every day, make three. The amount of time spent on getting things out and putting them away is small but you’ll feel lighter knowing it’s done.
- Choose your workouts, hobbies, meals, etc all on Sunday, and put them in a calendar for the week.
“What gets scheduled gets done.”
Michael Hyatt
Michael Hyatt said, “What gets scheduled gets done.” It’s true but an added benefit is that scheduling something offloads it from our minds. If we could embrace life’s most important tasks with more mental, emotional, and physical capacity, each day would improve. You may not need an autonomous robotic chicken door as I did, but I know you can hatch your own schemes.