Yes it was!
I get what you mean by wanting to observe the surroundings more than the eclipse itself. I took a brief moment to look around during totality moment and saw and felt the shift you're talking about too. It was cool, but left a strange feeling for the rest of the night. Certainly feels like time has sped up a bit ever since the eclipse as well.
At moments, I feel like I'm in a very different world. I see more life around me, colors are more vivid, and I'm happier, and calmer. Y