How To Get Shit Done: Just Say No To Drinks

I’ve heard the phrase “just say no to drugs” many times in my life, beginning with that one time when police officers came to my elementary school classroom with pretty rainbow colored D.A.R.E shirts. You’d think their message would have sunk in for good considering I spent that evening crying in the stairwell at home because I was now afraid of a scary thing called “marijuana.” But it got to the point where the phrase “don’t do drugs” didn’t really mean much anymore. In fact, by the time I got to high school it was a more of joke than anything and the trendy kids would where their now-vintage DARE shirts just to be ironic.

I’m not saying that I don’t agree with the phrase. Maybe it’s just a little too all-incompassing for me. There’s no wiggle room. I’m a firm believer that everyone does their share of drugs, whether it be in the form of caffeine in their daily (hourly for me) cup of coffee, nicotine from a cigarette or even sugar which is found in, well lets face it, almost everything worth eating!

Another vice that people often forget to put into the drug category is alcohol.

I’m not much for New Year’s resolutions, but I did decide to set a few goals. One of them was to cut alcohol from my diet for one month. To be perfectly honest, I was afraid to even set the goal because I wasn’t sure I would be able to achieve it. Sometimes it seems like the only way to make it through a work week was a wednesday trip to happy hour with my fellow CMH’ers. But then I realized – if there was any reason to set the goal in the first place, that’s it. Worrying that you do not have control over something is a pretty good sign that you need to make sure to regain control quick, fast and in a hurry.

Anyway, it’s been about four weeks now and I feel great. I get way more shit done (oh yeah- that’s what this post is about!), I feel healthier, I’ve saved money and even lost two pounds, which is never – ever- a bad thing! I’ve been able to accomplish a lot more when I stay home instead of joining my friends at happy hour. I’ve finished a few books, I’ve exercised way more often, spent more time on freelance and reading up on skills I need to become a better web designer. I’ve even had time to catch up on Lost Season 5, not that watching TV is the most useful of past times. But would I be ready to watch season 6 premiere next week if I had chosen to go happy hour instead? Probably not.

Moral of the story – if you want to get shit done. Say no to drinks! At least for a little while…

What’s everyone up to next week?

Tags: alcohol