I was reading a book the other night: The 4% Fix and came across this passage:

“Have you ever had a brilliant idea or solved what felt like an unsolvable problem in the shower, or just before falling asleep, or maybe when you’re sitting alone in nature? The quietness and stillness of your mind during these types of activities allow for thought processes that couldn’t get through the noise before.” (Karma Brown pp. 195-6)

I’ve practiced several different morning routines over the years, but none have really stuck. I understand the importance of a good morning routine, and I am always happier when I can get myself settled and set in the morning before the hecticness of everything starts, but inevitably, the lure of my cozy bed wins out over the alarm clock.

A couple of weeks ago, I was mindlessly scrolling through my Facebook feed when a friend’s post caught my eye(I will call him, Peter - not his real name, but easier than constantly writing “my friend”).

Peter’s post read:

Ugh. Already late handing in an assignment and I just can’t get my fire lit. Help!

An important part of leadership is to pause and take breaks (as I mentioned in THIS Pause blog post). Sometimes those breaks are mental breaks to recoup and recover. Other times, they should be clarity breaks where you take a step back and focus on your business or your life. It’s a chance to clear your mind of the thousand questions and thoughts flying around and get them down on paper.