The truth is, some of the most valuable investments we can make in our business involve decluttering the desk, clearing the mind, and giving ourselves time to think.
As much as we all might agree with that statement the reality is that we barely have time to get our daily tactical work done. How are we going to add quality thinking and strategic planning into our calendars?
Some tips
• David Allen suggests we create a single, reliable place to list all our deliverables and deadlines (Outlook, a file folder, a drawer) and assign a doable next action to each one. This will help us let go of the thousand details swirling around in our minds so that we can devote some clear thinking to more important matters.• Sit somewhere new. Take a pad of paper to the coffee shop and let your mind wander through a gnarly problem. Don't answer your phone. Don't check email. Doodle if you're creative. Sometimes revelations will arrive on the page before you even know what's happening.
• Take advantage of downtime during the day like sitting in the car wash or waiting for an appointment or a teleconference to start to review your main objectives. See how many new ideas you can come up with in 2 minutes that will bring you one step closer to achieving your goals.
• Most importantly, always know what your overall objectives are. Write them down. Mine are in an Outlook note that I can view and edit easily either from my Blackberry or from my laptop in the office.
