When you’ve got a packed calendar and an overflowing inbox, it’s tough to find time to think. But improving the quality of your ideas requires unstructured, reflective thinking. This activity helps you examine your assumptions and draw connections between pieces of information. How can you make the time to do it? It depends on your individual schedule and rhythm. You might build reflection into a single day, designating Monday mornings, for example, as your time to think and organize the rest of your week. Or you might spread the time over the week, carving out 90 minutes on three days. You can also combine your reflective thinking with another activity, such as taking an afternoon walk or drinking a morning cup of coffee. Whatever strategy you choose, make sure the time is a regularly scheduled and protected event on your calendar, uninterrupted by emails, calls, or meetings.

Source: Adapted from “How to Regain the Lost Art of Reflection,” by Martin Reeves et al.