How to Schedule Time for Deep-Thinking Work

I started off the year by listening to a book called Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell. It’s been a while since I’ve come across a business book that I would consider a game changer, but this one falls into that category. It’s about putting systems in place that will help you do more in less time.

One idea that I implemented this year that is making a big difference is how much time I schedule for “deep-thinking work” each week. A typical week is filled with virtual and in-person meetings, requests, emails, online chats, etc. Then, squeezed in between all of this is the time needed to work on projects, strategies, presentations, reviews, and other work that requires deep thought to bring it to closure and keep moving the business forward.

I thought I had it all figured out when I would squeeze in 30 minutes on my calendar here and there to work on this type of work.

Wrong!

Dan Martell suggests that nothing of consequence can be accomplished in less than 60 minutes. Here’s been my experience why that is true:

• You rarely get a full 30 minutes: Meetings that run long, breaks, or talking to someone in the hallway immediately start eating into that time.
• You have to mentally shift gears: You may have just come from an intense conversation or meeting and need a few minutes to recalibrate and get into a different mental space.
• You have to physically find your stuff: It takes time to find the presentation you were working on, the most recent version of the document, or an email with the feedback on next steps.

Before you know it, 30 minutes has now dwindled to 15-20 minutes before you have to rush off to the next item on your calendar. What can really get done in 15-20 minutes? It usually ends up being mindless and non-productive pecking around in email that makes you “feel” like you are being productive.

Try This Instead

When possible, schedule no less than 60-minute blocks for deep-thinking work. Even with the distractions listed above, you can get a solid 45-50 minutes of thought work done and take solid steps towards checking things off your to-do list.

I’ve been at it for about a month now and have noticed a substantial increase in my productivity. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

What else have you found that helps you be more productive with your time?