This time of year presents a great opportunity for you.

As supporters of and advisers to hundreds of local businesses, we talk to a lot of business owners just like you.

During these conversations, a certain problem tends to crop up frequently and in previous years it has stopped them from achieving the success they’ve desired.

You see, there’s a secret time bomb ticking away in lots of businesses. It can be quite subtle but, make no mistake, it is definitely sabotaging everything - and it takes its toll in many different ways.

As business owners we have to do a heck of a lot of stuff. We face opposition, we experience rejection and disappointment and we resolve problems in far greater quantities than normal people who have jobs. Our need to be ‘on it’ all the time is much greater than it is for most people – because we have to do a lot more stuff.

As a result, we are always very busy. Hugely so. And good though that is – we’d all rather be busy than quiet – it means that it’s easy to get sucked into the vortex of perpetual busy-ness and when that happens, what also occurs is that we lose the time to think.

‘Thinking time’ is an absolute pre-requisite for anyone who aspires to sustained super-success. But lots of business owners don’t have enough, or don’t have it at all.

Thinking time is time to think, time to gain perspective. Time to look beyond the immediate problems or challenges and take stock. And modern life makes it harder than ever to get this time. Mobile phones always with us and on, emails checked twenty times a day and TikTok, Instagram and Facebook taking too many spare minutes.

The result of all this is that attention spans are reduced, listening skills compromised and clear thought difficult to come by. 

Being instantly or constantly available to your customers or employees does not make you more effective.  In fact, it’s more likely to make you much less effective. And it stops you thinking.

No-one can think properly, formulate ideas and communicate really well if they are under constant day-to-day pressure. 

Find time to think!

Thinking time comes in a number of guises. We’ve spoken about 90-minute sessions in the past (Top Tip #23) – you do your 90 minutes each morning to give you dedicated time to work ON your business before the main part of your day starts.

You can do a lot of thinking then.

Free of interruptions of any kind.

Walking the dog is another source of thinking time.

Or maybe an evening stroll with a partner of friend.

And right now, at the start of the year, is a perfect time to find that ‘Thinking Time’ so you can make the most of the next 12 months.

It doesn’t matter how or where you find the time but you do need to be regularly thinking about your business – away from the dreaded ‘day-to-day’.

Stop being a slave to email.

Turn off the mobile phone now and again.

Take a long walk with a loved one.

Use social media like you drink alcohol. (In moderation).

Reclaim some thinking time. To reflect. To process. To see clearly.

Without it, you’re almost certainly sabotaging your future profits.

Made you think huh?!