#ThinkfullyHabit: Take two bites at the cherry
When tackling complex problems or chunky pieces of work – don’t binge it in one go. This means avoiding the temptation to procrastinate and then work like crazy to hit a deadline. Equally it means not getting something done and dusted early in one go. Instead, plan your work differently. Start early and then deliberately build in time part way through where you step away. Then come back for a second bite.
Importantly there must be a break in between.
This is to create space to mull over your thoughts and let ideas settle, and allow new considerations come to light.
“What I discovered was that in every creative project, there are moments that require thinking more laterally and, yes, more slowly. My natural need to finish early was a way of shutting down complicating thoughts that sent me whirling in new directions. I was avoiding the pain of divergent thinking - but I was also missing out on its rewards.”
WHY?
Trying to fast track ideas can be the enemy of great outcomes, which are more likely to come about when you work with how your brain works best. Our brains work best when we go from being highly focussed in task-mode and then take a period of time to mull things over, before returning to the task in hand. Also it’s worth remembering that research has proven that sleep helps integrate information so coming back to things another day may genuinely be helpful. (Read more: #ThinkfullyHabit: Sleep on it)
The first bite of the cherry is a fantastic opportunity to gather people’s immediate ‘gut feel’ responses to the issue at hand, air assumptions people may be holding, look into the evidence and work out what’s tricky.
The ‘in-between time’ isn’t wasted time; it's incredibly valuable. Let your mind feed on the starting ideas, but hold them quite loosely. This mimics what happens when we are asleep, as the connections between the ideas loosen, allowing them to reform or resettle in new ways. Then go back in for that all important second bite.
“When you procrastinate, you’re more likely to let your mind wander. That gives you a better chance of stumbling onto the unusual and spotting unexpected patterns.”