One of the hardest things I find to do is to protect my unscheduled time. When I do, I find myself finally able to really think, and that's so very important for any leader. Here are some things that remind me of it's importance:

• Time - thinking takes time...there's no way around it. For me, I actually schedule in thinking time (I call it "focus" time on my calendar). I also love long drives by myself...although I find it hard to keep on the road while I write down all my ideas!
• Habit - thinking needs to be a habit. Sounds strange, doesn't it? In today's world, though, we are so bombarded with information and data that, sometime, we forget to think on our own. The other day I received 4 magazines I subscribe to...in one day! I read a lot in a wide range of areas in order to keep up...but I have to make it a habit to also think on my own.
• Ideas - I rarely get any good ideas in the midst of the hubbub I usually dwell in. Meetings, phone calls, details and the push of every day life don't lend itself to being creative. But when I slow down and think...ideas begin to flow (especially when I'm driving!)
• Necessary - part of leading effectively is thinking like a leader. Bringing ideas to the table, processing those ideas, managing the implementation of those ideas, etc. All of these have a necessary ingredient in order to do them effectively...thinking.
• Keep at it - Personally, one of my greatest challenges is protecting my schedule. As I mentioned, I schedule in time each week to focus and think...but that's also the easiest time to give up. The important gives way to the urgent. So I remind myself to "keep at it" when it comes to protecting my schedule for think time.

Think well!