You Won't Hear This From Productivity Experts; The Science-Backed Strategy No One's Talking About

We hear that meditating and spending time alone can increase our well being and our overall feelings of happiness. As an introvert (who plays extrovert really well) I find those benefits reason enough to ensure that my schedule has margins built in for downtime to reflect. 

However, for most of my clients, and maybe even for you, the promise of “feeling good” just doesn’t cut it.  Deadlines that aren’t in your control and fires that need to be extinguished before they rage into a ten alarm blaze, are all vying for your attention and time.

So, for those of you who operate in a hustle culture and are striving to succeed, I’d like to share something that will feel counterintuitive for some of you, and perhaps even ludicrous to the rest. But, stay with me… after all the quality of your leadership depends on it. 

When you are asked to make a fast decision,

And every bone in your body is telling you to speed up,

Slow down and take time alone to pause And reflect.

Solitude increases creativity and productivity. 

There's a reason artists, musicians and authors seek solitude when they want to create something. A private space, whether it's a secluded studio or a cabin in the woods, allows them to be more creative. Studies confirm that being alone often fosters creativity. Creativity is what leaders need to ideate and envision the future. 

In addition to boosting creativity, solitude also skyrockets productivity. Studies consistently show that people perform better when they have privacy (which means open floor plans make terrible work environments).

We once believed the best leaders made themselves available all the time. We liked their “open door policy”.  However, we’re now learning that leaders who are constantly “on” have a tough time with clarity and vision. 

Set aside time to pause and be alone with your thoughts.

You don't need to block huge chunks of time to be by yourself in order to benefit from solitude. Just 5-10 minutes of alone time each day could be enough to help you hop off the hamster wheel and feel focused.

If you think you don't have time to sit quietly and think, you probably need alone time more than you realize. The busier you are, the more likely you are to benefit from some quiet time. See what busy, high achieving women are doing every quarter to increase their productivity and wellbeing. 

Whether you decide to meditate, jot thoughts down in a journal, or take time to practice deep breathing, it’s up to you. But, during your time of solitude, silence your electronics and allow yourself to be alone with your thoughts. This is the time to tune out the external noise and input. Give yourself the gift of reflection and perspective.

You also might schedule an activity to do by yourself once a week, like spending time looking back on your week and planning for the week ahead. You could use one of my favorite tools to keep yourself organized and focused on what’s important.    

Or perhaps you need a bigger chunk of time. Consider being alone once per month. Go to dinner alone, take a long walk by yourself, or engage in an activity that you enjoy. 

If you're not used to solitude, the silence and lack of activity can feel uncomfortable at first. And yet by committing to this personal pause, the space you create will ultimately feel comfortable. Life will feel less chaotic and you will have more control. 

Pushing pause, whether it’s quick moments throughout the day, or larger chunks of time throughout the year, have been shown to be an essential component for successful leadership today. 

If we want to be more productive

and feel more in control,

we need to be willing to use the power of the pause. 

When it comes to creativity, productivity and decision making ability, doing less really is more.

Living Fully Balanced: The best leaders have chosen to leverage the pause. Stepping back and pausing, when the rest of the world is charging in, will set you apart from the rest. Click to learn about The Pause Retreat, a customized, luxury, personal and professional development retreat for female leaders. 

Lisa Bobyak, Life Balance and Leadership Coach and founder of Living Fully Balanced, has been elevating the performance, perspective and peace of mind of high-achieving professionals on the brink of burnout for nearly a decade. Through her Living Fully Balanced™ methodology, she equips her clients with both the self-awareness and planning tools to thrive in our fast-paced, work-driven society. Her inspiring and educational presentations challenge the current hustle culture and offer strategies to prevent burnout and create balance. Lisa is the mastermind behind the transformative Love Your Life Again program. She’s also the author of 7 Days to Loving Your Life Again and the creator of the Living Fully Balanced Life Planner™.