HEADLINES   

• Managers are constantly "doing"
• They run from meeting-to-meeting completing quick tasks in between 
• Their minds begin to run on autopilot 
• Managers come to rely on decision making short cuts (heuristics) 
• Snap decisions become common place 

No matter how busy you get, you have to routinely stop and "think about what you're thinking". 

 If you don't...  

• You're mood will cloud your perception and judgement 
• It's too easy to fall into thinking traps 
• Your priorities get out of whack 

COACHING POINT: a thinking break is like a "time out" in sports. It's a short break from the action to catch your breath and consider your thoughts. 

Tips 

• Commit - you have to decide that thinking breaks are an important part of your daily routine
• Build a thinking routine - schedules are fluid but routines are more dependable

See THINKING ROUTINES