Posted by Stephanie Valentine on Jul 23, 2009 in
Small Business Opinion-Making 
Greetings from sunny (hot) beautiful Zion National Park!
That’s me with Milagro, my leggy chihuahua and partner in crime.
I’m off on a series of thinking days (another word for that is … vacation!) in Zion National Park. So this blog will be on vacation until the first part of August. I’m following in the footsteps of Bill Gates and taking some thinking time. What will I be thinking of? More tips and tactics for small business owners, of course!
I’ll leave you with one tip before my vacation starts in earnest:
Have you taken some thinking days lately? If not, might it be time?
Enjoy the enchantment of your small business, whether you are engaging in thinking days or building your queendom (or kingdom!).
Tags: thinking days, zion national park
Posted by Stephanie Valentine on Jun 3, 2009 in
Small Business Strategy 
Thinking Days - The Importance for Small Business Owners
I often wonder if small business owners are more firefighter than business people. Between product development, sales and marketing, management, and general business development, it can be hard for the average Joe to figure what’s just urgent and what is plain important.
Urgent items demand our immediate attention but may not be crucial to furthering our business in a significant way. Important things will move our business forward but are often put on the back burner. We should pay attention to the important things rather than the urgent one, but most small business owners. That’s why we need thinking days.
The Importance of Thinking Days
If you look at some of the most successful leaders in the corporate world, one trend you will see is the prevalence of “thinking time.” In other words, these people set aside a specific time each week or each month to gain new perspective on their business.
For instance, Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, regularly schedules “thinking days” throughout the year that allow him to reflect on his life and his business. These pre-scheduled days are inviolate, meaning he rarely takes phone calls or messages during this time.
The same goes for Tai Yu Kobayashi, former Chairman and CEO of Fujitsu. He once shared the secret of his success: he gets up each morning at 5:00 am and spends an hour in his Bonsai garden, immersing himself in nature and moving in tranquility. Maintaining this state throughout the day allows him to make decisions in a high-pressure situation with detachment.
Questions for Thinking Days
As a small business owner, scheduling thinking days, even if they seem inconvenient, will give you the perspective necessary to sift the important tasks from the merely urgent. In a very basic way, thinking days give you a chance to reflect on your business and ask questions like:
- What’s happening?
- What’s not happening?
- What can I do the influence the outcome?
You will often find that thinking days give you a wider view of your business, and your life. This detachment may give you the necessary insight to make tough decisions for your small business, and choose a new path, if necessary.
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Source: used with permission from The Art of Business: In the Footsteps of Giants
Photo credit: Anwar
Tags: bill gates, important versus urgent, small business owner, thinking days
