Want to think like a genius?

 “I start the day with a well intentioned to do list, but end the day saying, ‘Where did the day go?’” 

“I move so quickly I don’t even take time to celebrate wins before I’m on to the next…”

“I wish I had space in my schedule – or in my mind – to think about where I want to go in my career…” 

Is this you?   

We are interrupted 7 times an hour, and spend up to 2.1 hours a day on distraction.  In my trainings on Success under Stress, the most frequent request I hear is “more uninterrupted time to think and complete priority work.”

When you don’t have time to reflect, you are keeping yourself out of your “genius zone.” That’s because your brain has two modes of thinking: 

Your “Get things done” mode carries out tactics and ticks items off your ‘to do’ list. It makes you feel you are always on.Your “Genius” mode helps you see the big picture, tap into your intuition and come up with new ideas. It helps you connect the dots, so you are even smarter. In Genius mode, you feel relaxed and creative. (It's the reason you have your best ideas in the shower! I have mine while running along the river in NYC.) 

Have you ever gotten feedback that you are great at execution but not seen as a next level leader... because you don’t have the big ideas of a leader? If so, you may have kept so busy you haven’t been pressing your Genius button.

To have more uninterrupted time to think and reflect during busy days, schedule time for your Genius Button!  

But... how can you have time to ‘think’ when others are constantly interrupting you? You can control how you respond to it. Instead of feeling you have to be available to everyone on THEIR schedule, try to “ACT” on interruptions. 

Accept or Allow interruptions: Make a short list of criteria dictating which interruptions are worthy of giving your attention to. Situations in which YOU are the right person and at the right level to deal with it, etc. Only accept or allow distractions that meet your criteria.  

Curtail or Cut off at the Pass: You CAN prevent many interruptions. For all the times people ask you the same question, put in place a ‘frequently asked questions’ document. If you are a manager, schedule ‘office hours’ as preferred times for your team to pop in your office or clients to call you. 

Triage – Do what the emergency room nurse does Ask a few diagnostic question to figure out what the person needs and give them a plan to deal with it (but don’t carry out the plan in the moment). Say, “I can get you the meeting schedule by the end of the day, ask Sara for the information on the budget, and you and I can schedule a 30 minute meeting tomorrow afternoon to go over it.” Then heads down, back to work! 

Time for thinking and reflection may feel like a luxury you don’t have time for. But when you allow yourself to luxuriate in your reflection you will come up with ideas to do your work more effectively and efficiently, saving you time and helping you advance. You have an inner Genius button, allow it to work for you. 

-Sharon Melnick, PhD, September 2015 Career Coach