When I looked at the sub-topics for this Self-Leadership blog series, “time management” was the one I wanted to write on. But, I ran out of…

I decided I would share one thing I try to do every few months that I believe will help you immensely. I also think it impacts FOUR of the sub-topics listed for this series:

(In some deep way, I think this is really showing off my time management skills because I’m killing four birds with one… ok, I’m just going to stop.)

Every few months, I try to shut technology off and go to a little monastery about an hour away from my home. It has an attached retreat center where anyone can rent day rooms or stay overnight. Talking is optional. I go for the day if, and only if, the St. Anne room is available.

I’m convinced the blanket in that room was crocheted by angels.

I usually wake up at 5:30am in order to miss traffic and arrive in time to drive up the winding, asphalt entrance in the pitch dark. If you ever get a chance to visit at night, you’ll see a glow at the top of the drive. As you get closer, you’ll realize the light is coming from the monks in their robes lining up in the church windows ready to chant their morning vigils.

I’m not gonna lie, the first time I pulled up I was struck by the odd similarity they had to the KKK’s outfits and I wondered if I was about to be murdered in some scary movie.

Thankfully, I was wrong.

After multiple visits—leaving my computer at home and my phone in the glove box, with nothing but silence to sit with me throughout my day of thinking, reading, resting and praying—I realize that this is the place where I find true creativity, communion, and self-care. I feel stress drip away and my mind spins with uninterrupted ideas. Prayers aren’t sidetracked with tweet-worthy thoughts and my face is before my Creator’s words and whispers… instead of Facebook.

For you, the thought of eating vegetarian meals made by Brother Martin (who will tell you stories of his days playing baseball, battles with alcoholism, and his monastic-famous burritos) may not seem like the way to sharpen your creative edge. To you, meeting with Brother John to ask him how someone knows their true motives in life might not seem like soul care. Your idea of a stress-free morning may not involve kneeling in absolute silence and meditating with ten complete strangers, just wondering if one of them will fall asleep and tip over. But for me, even though it takes effort and planning, it’s always worth the trek and the time. Going into it always feels like time will be lost; yet, the productivity that follows makes me realize how much I’ve gained.

I also end up recalibrating how I gauge “productivity.”

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If you want to lead others well, you need to assess how well you lead yourself.  Monks or no monks, practicing the art of shutting it off will be the only thing that creates space for your mind to be uninterrupted. It’s a space where creativity can flow rather than be received, where God can speak rather than be drowned out, and where you can listen rather than…

Oh look! A little red alert on my phone!

[ THE ART OF SELF LEADERSHIP HOMEPAGE ]