What would you give to carve out an additional hour of uninterrupted ” think” time in your workday? If you’re like many busy professionals, having more time to brainstorm about your true priorities — and then actually complete them — would be a priceless commodity.
“Most of us are paid to think but have no time to think,” says Sharon Melnick, a workplace expert on business psychology and stress resilience. “We come to work with a well-intentioned ‘to-do’ list but end the day with the frustration of not having completed our most important priorities.”
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What’s the reason for this disconnect between intentions and reality? Melnick explains that many dedicated professionals have so much to do, it can often feel impossible to be successful since people spend so much time bouncing back and forth on projects. If you’re in this situation, you’re not only rarely able to focus on what matters — you don’t even have time to pause long enough to figure out what that might be.
Other issues that might keep you from having time to think about what counts are office interruptions and distractions. Melnick reports that on average, business professionals have up to 100 projects on their plate and get interrupted seven times per hour. She says that, on average, employees waste time just unlocking their phone over 100 times a day. It’s no wonder so many people feel like they’re just spinning from crisis to crisis, with no time for creative cogitation.
To regain control and create an extra hour of uninterrupted time to think during busy days, consider these three strategies from Melnick’s book, “Success Under Stress: Powerful Tools for Staying Calm, Confident, and Productive When the Pressure’s On.”
Control Your Response to Interruptions
You can’t control when others interrupt or distract you. But if you can remember the acronym A-C-T when you get interrupted, you’ll have some power to control how you respond to these focus derailers. “A” stands for “allow,” which reminds you to determine which meetings, calls or other interruptions you will accept because they meet your criteria. For example, you’ll take calls from your boss even if you’re busy.
“C” stands for “cut off,” which reminds you to decide which interruptions you’ll cut off at the pass by anticipating them or by using preventive problem-solving. For example, you might put together a “frequently asked questions” document to prevent repeat questions, or hold “office hours” so that colleagues can bundle their requests into a designated time.
“T” stands for “triage,” which reminds you to select interruptive events that you’ll make a plan to deal with at a later time, but won’t allow yourself to lose your train of thought carrying it out right at that moment. For example, you’ll reschedule a call with a vendor whose matter is not urgent. By cutting off and triaging many of your interruptions, you can save up to an hour a day for creative thinking.
[See: Relaxation Exercises for When You’re About to Lose It at Work.]
Access ‘Reflective Thinking’
Different modes of thinking correspond to different parts of the brain. The “on” button mode of thinking responds to demands in the moment that are right in front of you. The part of your brain that manages this mode of thinking carries out tactics, and is only capable of solving problems the same way that you have in the past. “Off” button thinking, on the other hand, enables you to see the big picture, connect the dots between ideas and tap into your creativity. This part of the brain is where strategic thinking and new ideas come from.
With the fast pace of the to-do list culture, many people only use “on” button thinking. While this approach can be productive, it can reduce satisfaction by interfering with the creative reflection that fosters innovation. In short, you might get things done with this approach but won’t feel like you are accessing your best vision or meaningfully connecting with others.
To access your more reflective mode of thinking, start by scheduling an hour each week of “off” button thinking time. Protect this hour and don’t let it get gobbled up by to-do list items that feel pressing but are ultimately less important. Gradually, you can work up to setting aside more thinking time.
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Lead an ‘Ideal Day’ Discussion
You can also gain more thinking time daily by getting colleagues on board with your plans. To that end, try facilitating a discussion among your key team members or people with whom you frequently interact about an ideal workday. During this meeting, the team can consider the best way to balance everyone’s time for thinking and strategizing versus responding to external requests. Then together, you can engineer some tactical approaches to make that day happen more often.
Common examples of problem-solving that might come from these discussions include declaring “no meeting” times during certain hours of the day or days of the week; shortening meetings and only requiring attendance of decision-makers; agreeing to clear signaling in each person’s work area about that person’s availability; and clearing up process inefficiencies.
Any one of these approaches can help you find an extra hour or more per day for your most pressing projects. By taking the initiative to follow these three strategies, you may soon find yourself working smarter and not harder.
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How to Create an Extra Hour at Work to Think Each Day originally appeared on usnews.com
