In everyone’s life, there should be time to relax, time to rest – and indeed, time to think. Unfortunately, in the lives of some individuals, particularly Americans, many people do not have time for themselves. As written in an article for 20 Something Finance, many Americans work well over 40 hours per week.
That said, for many Americans, the hamster wheel of life has become an automated ordeal set to high speeds. I define the hamster wheel situation as an endless marathon – so consequently, burnout is a dreaded theme of our time.
Conversely, in the digital age of speed before quality, many people do not make time for themselves. The swift flow of society has further influenced people to engage in digital communication vs. heartfelt communication. Why? Well, because of convenience. It’s quicker to text or DM vs. making time to meet in person or spend several minutes on the phone. And for noted reasons, people have bought into the idea that there isn’t time for heartfelt-meaningful communication.
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As burnout and poor time management skills foil human progress, many people do not have or make time to think. Sure, from the moment we wake up until the moment we fall asleep, everyone is thinking. Whether it’s clothes or food, each of us is thinking non-stop about an amalgam of different things.
But how many people engage in routine high-quality thinking, or spending time in one’s head? In reference to the previous sentence, this involves time set aside for what I call mandatory mental maintenance. Undoubtedly, introverts are the frontrunners for said activity.
High-Quality Think Time and what it means to Me
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On many nights when fatigue had settled in , I enjoyed listening to music – this was my evening routine. I’d lay in bed, lighthearted and relaxed while feeding my ears a mix of songs from different genres. This was my way to decompress and regroup for the upcoming day.
That was my routine for several years, as the results worked wonders to ease my spirit. But lately, I’ve tuned out iTunes. Instead, I make time to assuage my mind via routine mental maintenance, AKA High-Quality Thinking. As introverts, we are known to spend time in our heads, and I strongly support this practice. I support this soo much that I created a hoodie to celebrate this philosophy – really, I did. Introverts are inclined to be inwardly oriented while acquiring strength and energy during moments of solitude. So, we’re motivated for such excursions within the mind. Like my introverted peers, I, too, embark upon related excursions to acquire strength and energy. Yes, I like to get lost in my thoughts. While High-Quality Think Time is time spent in my head, it is a staycation that goes beyond recharging my introverted battery.
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For most introverts, while in less chaotic environments, we think better. Yes, the mornings are reasonably tranquil, but I’ve found the quiet stillness of the night to induce deeper thinking. Also, I have found the quiet stillness of the night to provide a serene ambiance for relaxation following the laborious efforts of the day. So, during this chosen juncture of the 24-hour cycle, for 30 minutes or more, I engage in High-Quality Think Time. Throughout said time, I remember, conceive, and purge specific ideas and thoughts from the brain.
Remember. During the mild aura of each night, I’ve managed to vividly recapture some of my best and worst moments as they pertain to current situations. As for the best, remembering good times is an essential reminder that life is and always will be good. As for the bad, remembering of my worst experiences reminds me of hard lessons learned, and all necessary caution to dodge past mistakes.
Conceive. Without too much attention allotted to other activities, the calmness of the night allows me to free up cap space in my head. The result is unprecedented concentration towards an objective. For instance: a new blog post idea, a new project, or a new goal. Once one of the preceding objectives has been conceived, I will make time to plan, and take action. Later, I’ll revisit the importance of taking action.
Purge. My designated time to think has given me the latitude to purge. All grudges or memories that no longer serve a purpose are dead weight, thus tossed into the ether.
Everyone, this is how I use my downtime to service my brain for routine mental maintenance. Collectively, this process is therapeutic and necessary for cerebral upkeep.
High-Quality Think Time: A difference maker between average and exceptional
Life is always happening. There’s always something going on, and in some instances, we must concurrently face multiple challenges. Often in like moments, it’s difficult to make time and realize all that’s going on, let alone successfully process the various happenings in our lives.
Under coercion of such torment, the quality of our output is compromised. Yes, pressure creates diamonds, and there are people who, like my good friend Beatriz Martinez, work well under stress. Despite said truths, all ideas and ventures require much thought and a lot of planning.
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Right now, I’d like you to pick the first successful company that comes to mind. Regarding your pick, success did not happen overnight. Undoubtedly, the founder(s) did not, in a frantic-hurried fashion, create a blueprint for their companies.
Instead, there was a lot of pain before joy – many pressure-filled moments and sleepless nights for CEOs. Still, apart from the early planning, the headaches, and the struggles, good leaders and visionaries will make time for High-Quality Thinking.
According to an article written for Inc, Warren Buffet has spent 80% of his career thinking. Other high-profile CEO’s such as Tim Armstrong of AOL, Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn and Bill Gates also make time for elongated routine “think sessions”. Buffet, Weiner, Armstrong, and Gates are practitioners of High-Quality Thinking, thus by default, they’re also champions of this kind of thinking regimen.
And rightly so, as the four men I have mentioned understand that hard work alone isn’t sufficient to achieve exceptional glory. For this reason, and others, all four men routinely devote time to think and plan for optimal results.
I must say this: it’s true that in business and life, we can’t predict everything that will go wrong. Yet if we make time to plan and think, we could mitigate some or most risks. Overall, high-quality thinking is one of many means to stay ahead of the curve while staying on top of your game in the pursuit of exceptional results.
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Planning and thinking to optimize results – staying ahead of the curve – mitigating risks – staying on top of your game – all of this sounds fucking wonderful, right? Yet, when is too much High-Quality Think Time a problem??
High-Quality Think Time: when too much becomes devoid of quality.
One of the stigmas attached to introverts is “we spend too much time in our heads”. Maybe some introverts spend too much time in their heads – maybe? Seriously, I believe some introverts have mistakenly booked one-way flights to the recesses in their minds. But still, I’m a proponent of spending time in my head, because even the best things come with at least one caveat. Speaking of caveats, in a moment, I’ll discuss how to address and overcome “the caveat” of High-Quality Think Time overload, or too much thinking. For now, let’s look at the downside to such unwarranted lengthy staycations within the mind.
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To imagine, dream, and conceive ideas are beautiful acts that require, at minimum, a fraction of cognitive horsepower. Yet, to dream, imagine, and conceive ideas is meaningless sans one’s intent to act on and bring all ideas to fruition. And while there are some people who, for different reasons, cannot dream and develop ideas, a dream without action is just a dream. One could devote countless hours to High-Quality Think Time, and conceive an incalculable number of ideas, but without action and effort to actualize those ideas, then what??
Equally are those I call chronic strategists – people who think and plan continuously without working to actualize anything. Some may call them perfectionists, which by the way, perfectionism is another characteristic attached to introverts. Beautiful ladies and handsome gentlemen, dreaming without action, or strategizing continuously, are examples of High-Quality Think Time overload. However, the difference between chronic strategists and perfectionists is this: the latter class will at some point get off their asses and make shit happen.
I’m guilty of having been in both classes of chronic strategists and perfectionists. Thanks to my introverted biology, I was and still am a perfectionist, because I strive to do my best, while constantly exploring new possibilities in my mind. Yet, there have been times when my chronic strategist tendencies took the wheel, resulting in more time spent on thinking and conceiving new ideas than on doing. So, while under the spell of chronic strategic thinking, the cycles of High-Quality Think sessions and edits became cyclical madness. During said occurrences, although the idea(s) of those times never saw the light of day, ironically there was a result to it all: I never got shit done.
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So, how does one address and overcome too much thinking? First, you must develop a goal – this is your “why” – your purpose. Ask yourself exactly what you wish to achieve via High-Quality Thinking. Next, hold yourself accountable by setting goals – our goals are benchmarks and help measure progress on your ultimate goal. If you aren’t hitting most or all your targets, or you find yourself veering of course into unintended territory, then make time to reassess your plans via – you guessed it – making time to think.
High-Quality Think Time and what it could mean for YOU
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In part 1, I questioned the number of people who engage in routine high-quality thinking. Next, I chronicled what high-quality thinking means to me, my routine, and the benefits of this practice. In part 2, I shared what high-quality thinking means for some of the most successful people on the planet, and why they champion this thought process. Now, I’d like to discuss what high-quality think time could mean for you.
We know that one of the stigmas attached to introverts is this: we spend too much time in our heads. Yet, if there’s an end goal, or a plan to act on a dream or idea, then let’s examine the upside to such warranted-worthy staycations within the mind. Throughout this post, I’ve championed the importance of making time to think. Remember, Warren Buffet has spent 80% of his career thinking. That’s amazing, but only when high-quality thinking revolves around an objective for progress, as is the case for Mr. Buffet!
The utility of High-Quality thinking, as with any other practice for betterment, must be attached to an end goal. Remember, you must have a why, or a purpose.
Why?
One’s purpose is both an anchor to keep you grounded while pursuing goals and a driving force for when things get tough.
So, what could High-Quality Think Time look like in your world? For instance, your goal, be it to make sense of your chaotic world, or to become efficient in your activities for progress, could be your why for high-quality think time.
For example:
“High quality think time means peace and happiness because I use it to escape the madness of my daily routine.”
Or –
“High think time means better grades and a shot at the dean’s list because I’ve used it to better manage my priorities as a full-time student and employee.”
Purpose is everything – without it, we’d have nothing to aim for, thus zero aspirations to evolve and grow. On this note, spend some time in your head, and make it a routine. Use your daily block of high-quality think time to remember, conceive, purge, plan, and execute. High-quality think time and an end goal yield good mental health, fresh ideas, and fruition for all good things yet to come. Make time to harness, develop, and employ the greatness that starts within your mind.
Best regards,
Joshua
