Consulting Blog

Downtime Into Uptime: Hit the Reset Button

Not everyone is going to have a break this holiday season. I’ve been asking around the consulting and freelancing community, and truth be told many of you will be working at least half time all the way through. Others, however, are taking a little time out. This doesn’t mean you cannot be resting AND optimizing your business, though.

The next few posts on this blog will cover ways you can leverage your down time and use it constructively to optimize your brain and your business before the New Year begins in earnest.

Ready for the first tip?

Hit the Reset Button -- On Your Brain, and Your Consulting Business

I mean turn your verbal brain off for a bit, and allow time for unstructured thinking. Trust me. This sounds a bit nutty but I think you’ll appreciate the result of actually following these instructions, especially if you’ve been feeling “scattered” lately. If all goes well, you should emerge with a clearer, more focused mind, ready for new inspiration, and adequately prepared to do some of the harder work ahead (like learning from your mistakes, making strategic decisions about your career, and finally doing your expenses).

Important: consuming media, such as watching a movie, listening to music, cruising the internet, or reading a book do not count. Hanging out with other people also doesn’t count, unless you can do it without talking. This is a solo exercise.

I don’t want to sound too Zen here, but the point of this exercise is to allow your thoughts to float by like clouds. Let your mind run free, similar to the dream state, so your inner filing system can re-index and contextualize everything you’ve experienced in the last year.

Um, So How Do I Do That?

If you have a hard time with this one – and many people do, so don’t feel self-conscious – I can recommend some solo activities that will get you there. And no, you don’t have to go on retreat to a monastery on a remote mountaintop (although you could – it’s neat, actually, and on my recommended things-to-do-before-you-die list).

Try:

• Walking through the woods or along the shore (alone or in silence with someone)
• Skipping stones on a lake and watching the ripples
• Sitting in front of a real fire and just watching the flames and embers, for at least an hour
• Sporting activity like skiing, running, working out (and NOT consuming music or TV while you do it – leave the ipod behind)
• Making cookies from scratch or some other solitary cooking endeavor
• Fine art projects like coloring books, painting, arranging flowers, making a collage, arranging your socks
• Cleaning house or organizing your office or garage
• Hobby time, like working on your motorcycle

Expect Resistance, But Stick With It.

You may experience a restlessness that compels you to surf the internet, read, call someone, or turn on some music or videos. This is a natural reaction and is your own resistance coming up. You may also experience withdrawals from your addiction to consuming media. Don’t give in – you owe it to yourself to have several extended sessions of unstructured contemplation during your downtime. You may not get another opportunity for a while, once business starts up again in January. If you attempt this exercise but then wake up to discover yourself playing games on your iphone while watching videos, just take a breath, stop consuming media, and start over again.

Be honest with yourself about how successful you’ve been at accomplishing this aim. If you just can’t do it at home, it might help to exile yourself for a few days to a cabin somewhere – without the laptop.

How Much Time?

Like any good design, your brain needs white space, but the amount you need depends on you. Some might feel the positive effects with a few short sessions of unstructured thinking, or can get it with a 90 minute Bikram yoga class. Others might be so wound up, they need a few days of whitespace to unravel the tangles of the mind.

As for myself, I’m hoping to run off to Big Sur for a few days of driving the rugged California coast and listening to the waves crash.

Now Do It.

What will you do to hit the reset button?

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