Peace of Mind Organizing

I've hung up the car phone

17 November 2009

I got into a minor traffic accident on Interstate 44 at the end of September. I had passed someone on the left just as another person passed that car on the right, and we merged into the center lane, in front of the slow-moving car, at the same time. There were no injuries and my car wasn’t even damaged (though the other driver’s car was, slightly).

It shook me up. One of the first things I thought of after it happened was that I was so glad I hadn’t been talking on my cell phone. That would have caused me to question whether I was at fault. As it was, I was able to clearly recall what happened when I spoke to the insurance companies.

Ever since the accident, I’ve been trying more cautiously and I’ve also stopped chatting on my phone while driving. I’ll make a quick call if I’m running late, but that’s about it.

I also happen to be working with some clients who live some distance from my home. One is more than an hour away. This has given me a great deal of time in the car. In the past, I’d have called a friend or colleague to pass the time while I drive. Thanks to my new-found (and completely voluntary) prohibition on talking and driving, I’ve been getting work done while I drive.

I’ve been listening to talks and podcasts on my iPod Touch rather than chatting on the phone. At the moment, I’m listening to the excellent marketing course Brain Audit. I’m getting great ideas for my business and using all this driving time productively.

If you feel like you don’t have enough hours in the day to read or otherwise expand your knowledge and if you spend a good deal of time getting from Point A to Point B, you might consider turning off your cell phone and turning on your mp3 player. I feel like I’ve added two productive hours to my work day. And the best part is that it hasn’t impinged on my sleep or my leisure time!

Tagged with: ipod, productivity

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