Most people that I know rush through their days from meeting to meeting, filling every possible gap in their schedule either with meetings or operational activities.  Lunch is either a hurried affair at the desk or possibly a fast dash with a coworker or two to the local sandwich shop.

And while that is the nature of work in this world, the one thing that suffers is finding a few spare moments to think and process on how to deal with a problem or leverage an opportunity.

As challenging as it sounds, it’s important for you to find 10-minutes in your workday to block out or step away from phones and e-mail and all of the other activities that keep your brain completely occupied, and just think.

I’ve made a habit of this over my entire career and I almost always come back from my ten-minute brain break with some fresh ideas on a vexing issue.  In comparing notes with colleagues, most have indicated that they have some sort of quick-refresh process that they strive to fit into their days.

5 Suggestions to Help You Create Time to Think

  1. Hit the stairs.  If you live in a multi-story building, grab an opportunity to step into the stairwell and hike some flights.
  2. Walk around your office complex-weather dependent of course.
  3. Turn off your phones and your computer, close your door and just think.  One colleague meditates and another puts on Mozart and soaks it up.
  4. Find an empty meeting room with a white-board and map out your ideas in living color.
  5. Take ten to read something.  It doesn’t matter what…just something that will allow you to focus.

—

Regardless of your choice, your brain and with some of the ideas above, your waist-line will thank you.  Happy thinking!