Too busy to reflect?

Is that you – the person too busy to make time to reflect?

You run from one meeting to the next, dousing fire after fire, tackling one task after another. You have a bias towards action. If you slow down to think, you fear missing out on action.

As I coach leaders, I hear this often –

-????????? There is so much to do; there is no time to think about anything!

-????????? I can't sit down to think, I feel guilty that I am not doing anything.

-????????? Time to reflect feels like a luxury!

Here is a thought: If you are busy spending your day doing things that can be done without thinking, are you being a leader? What is the value you are adding?

Because you are not making the time to think, the fires continue.

Over time, you may be solving more problems, but you are likely dealing with the same issues.

The result is frustration about –

-????????? your long working hours

-????????? lack of time with family

-????????? lack of motivation/accountability/skills in your team

What if you are contributing to your predicament by not slowing down to think?

As Peter Drucker said – Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection, will come even more effective action.

After all, leadership is as much about creating a better tomorrow as it is about dealing with today. As a leader, your job is to zoom out, connect the dots, and guide your team to attain the organization's vision.

Starting with as little as 10 minutes of journaling towards the end of the day can go a long way in building the habit of reflection on what went well, what did not, and what you can do to not be in the same position again.

Allowing yourself to stop to think can be hard, especially if you are biased towards action, but it lets you acknowledge what you have learned, strategize, and strengthen and grow your business. You can reclaim your time, solve complex challenges, and be future-oriented. You can also inspire reflective behavior in others. ?

Don't worry if you feel too restless to slow down to reflect or don't know the right questions to reflect on. You don't have to do it alone. You can always lean on a trusted colleague or engage a coach to get you started.?

I am happy to help if you are ready to get started! Click here to explore working with me. ?

I work with leaders to increase their influence, communicate and connect better with colleagues across levels, and be visible, valued and rewarded in their careers. If this is on your mind, let’s talk. Click here to plan the conversation.

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