What if 20 minutes of intentional thinking each week could save you hours of unnecessary work?

In this episode of the Deliberate Leaders Podcast, Allison Dunn explores how a simple weekly strategic thinking practice can help leaders move from constant firefighting to proactive problem-solving.

Building on the concept of "thinking debt" introduced in Episode 1, Allison shares how dedicating just 20 minutes a week to focused thinking helped her identify recurring problems, develop better systems, and reclaim valuable time.

• Small investments create significant returns. Twenty minutes of strategic thinking can eliminate hours of reactive work.
• Focus on one question. Give a single strategic challenge your full attention rather than tackling an entire to-do list.
• Eliminate distractions. Step away from devices and create space for uninterrupted thinking.
• Build consistency. Schedule your thinking time for the same day and time each week.
• Protect your boundaries. A firm 20-minute limit encourages clarity and decisive action.

• What recurring problem am I treating instead of solving?
• What assumptions am I making that might not be true?
• What is the real problem underneath the problem I've been solving this week?

This week, schedule 20 minutes for strategic thinking. Choose one meaningful question, put away your devices, and protect that time as you would an important client meeting.

Remember, strategic thinking isn't time away from your work. It's the work that makes everything else more effective.

In Episode 3, Allison addresses one of the biggest challenges leaders face when creating space to think: knowing what to think about. Discover three practical changes that can help turn an empty thinking session into meaningful strategic insight.

Think First. Lead Deliberately.

Explore more leadership insights and resources from Deliberate Directions at deliberatedirections.com.

Think First