Carving Out Time: Embracing Reflection for Business and Life Alignment

We all get busy in the day-to-day grind of running a business, family, and going through life. It is easy to get sucked into an endless list of tasks and lose sight of the big picture. I’ve heard a lot of different approaches to finding this thinking time to see the big picture; here are a few of the ones entrepreneurs and investors I know have found helpful.

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A space in your daily life

A lot of people have their own time they create in their daily life to reflect. For some it can be exercise (i.e. going for a walk or run), others it can be their morning cup of coffee, riding a lawnmower can be what you need, an evening prayer or meditation, some even leverage time in car/subway/traffic as space to think. Whatever that space is for you, leverage that daily time to prepare and reflect.

A process/structure for reflection

In addition, others use formal tools/processes as a way to force thinking and reflection. Writing a weekly update or Simple Strategic Plan are two good mechanisms to help you reflect on where you are at and where you need to go.

A vacation/unplugging time

It’s easy to get heads down and not find time to unplug. Whether that is going to the beach or mountains or jetting to another city, some folks use this vacation time as a way to recharge and reflect on how things are going.

The most important thing is to make sure you get out of the weeds at regular intervals and take stock on how things are going. There could be a lot of accomplishments to celebrate, some big and necessary changes looming, and/or a simple solution that is already right in front of you. Find the right time and space for you to do this deep thinking to make sure you are on the right course for your business and life.