Do you want to give yourself time to think in your busy schedule?

Does it feel as if your mind is on information overload?

You feel physically drained and stressed.

You’ve absorbed a lot of information, facts, and ideas over the past few hours.

While you want to move forward with your work, you need to do something first.

You need time to think.

In this post, you’ll find several pointers to help you create the time you need to reflect, review, and evaluate a situation.

Stop taking in information.

Go cold turkey when it comes to taking in information…at least temporarily.

Stop checking your email, log out of your social media accounts, and put down that magazine. Turn off the TV and radio, close that book, and turn your phone off.

Remember, this is only a temporary break, pause, or hiatus.

You can get back to your normal routine when you’re finished.

Avoid taking on additional assignments.

This is tip is similar to taking in information.

The only difference is that you won’t be physically busy working on something.

You could say “no” to pro bono work at the office, volunteer charity work, or organizing a social event with friends.

Again, this is not to say you’ll never take on additional assignments.

However, you just won’t take on those assignments right now.

Tell others you need time.

It’s important to remember that people aren’t mind readers.

If someone keeps asking you for your decision or input on something, and you haven’t yet made up your mind, what should you do?

Tell them you need more time to think it over.

You can ask them to follow-up with you at the end of the day, a couple of days, or next week.

Choose the time frame that works best for your situation.

Cancel an appointment or meeting.

Most meetings do not need to be held.

Where can you potentially trim the meeting “fat” from your schedule?

Is there an extraneous meeting (or five) in your schedule that you could cancel, or postpone?

This goes for both work and personal appointments and meetings.

Set a timer or schedule time.

If you’re truly pressed for time, you can literally give yourself time to think!

You can set a timer or alarm for sixty minutes.

Is an hour too long? You can set it for 45, 30, 20, 10, or 5 minutes.

Focus on the item at hand.

You might want to create a list of pros and cons, or write down facts, figures, and notes to help you make your decision.

Another way to do this is to schedule thinking time into your calendar.

Perhaps you can block out an on hour or two in the morning, afternoon, or evening?

Work on a “brain-off” activity.

A “brain-off” activity allows your mind to process information without you consciously thinking about the information.

It’s like putting a boiling pot of soup to simmer on the back burner of a stovetop. The soup simmers slowly and the flavors meld together over time.

You probably have a favorite activity or two that allows you to rest your mind and reflect.

It could be going for a long drive in the car, going for a walk around the neighborhood, or vacuuming the house.

How about coloring in your coloring book, practicing some meditation, or going for a run?

You could knit a sweater or chop vegetables…you get the idea.

In a bind and can’t change your location or actions?

Just close your eyes.

This will cut down on visual noise and distractions.

You’ll have both the time and space in which to think.

How about you? Which of the above tips are you going to try out? Join the conversation and leave a comment below!