I’m nosy. What are you thinking about? Are you a thinker that doesn’t give yourself thinking time?
When was the last time you sat down for a good, long think? No distraction. No external input. Just alone with your thoughts, and allowed your brain to work through a problem, a theory, or an idea? (Dirty thoughts don’t count!)
Recently, I was coaching a naturally deep thinker through burnout recovery. A lack of thinking time was one of the root causes of her burnout. She felt thinking time made her look slower or like she didn’t trust others. (Both untrue, FYI.)
Knowing Your Thinking Strengths Gives You Power
I am a Certified CliftonStrengths coach. CliftonStrengths (also known as StrengthsFinders) starts as a 30-minute assessment that results in a report ranking 34 natural talents and strengths. The report tells you what makes you unique. It also provides you with a path to be more of who you authentically are, and gives you the power to create your own success.
I have also found it to be incredibly helpful in showing you what is burning you out.
In the world of CliftonStrengths, there are strengths that are thinking strengths. People who have these natural talents need:
- Time to think
- To deliberate with themselves
- Run through all possible scenarios and solutions
- Challenge themselves with a new idea.
(If you are curious what these Strategic Thinking strengths are: Analytical, Context, Futuristic, Ideation, Input, Intellection, Learner, and Strategic.)
Everyone Needs Thinking Time, But Thinkers Require It
People who possess these strengths need to include time into their daily life to think. Without this time, Thinkers end up feeling incomplete. They also feel as though they aren’t making effective decisions, are rushed to make a decision, and are not confident in their solutions or answers. They often find themselves struggling to finish a project because the missing thinking time can mean they aren’t sure how to finish it.
Without thinking time, Thinkers are stressed out, are unsatisfied with their work, and often frustrated by what they feel is a lack of information or answers to their questions.
What Does This Mean For You?
Many of you could be Thinkers and not be aware of what a lack of thinking time is taking away from you.
I am also writing about this because burnout is not caused by just one thing. It’s often the little things that we miss that build up into bigger problems. Missing out on thinking time might seem like no big deal, but it is a small miss, that accumulates into a larger one, that could end up causing a lot of stress and anguish.
Is It Possible That You Are A Thinker?
Obviously, taking a CliftonStrengths assessment will give you a definitive answer as to what type of Thinker you are (or are not.)
Thinkers also know when something is missing from their productivity routine, but can’t put identify that is missing. If we start talking about thinking time, there is an immediate recognition that they are denying themselves what is ultimately self-care for them.
If you think you might be a Thinker, do you feel like you usually need time to consider different scenarios? Need time to allow an idea to roll around in your head before acting on it? The answers to these questions might provide some clues.
Sitting Around All Day Thinking Sounds Like A Dream Come True, Jennifer!
If you are a Thinker, it is time to consider how you allow thinking time to play a roll in your problem-solving, your creativity, or your job.
What I find with most Thinkers, they don’t allow much time for it. When considering a timeline for a project, they don’t even account for the time they need to just sit and think.
Without this time, most Thinkers will feel incomplete. So, as you build out your workday, be sure to make an appointment with yourself to just sit and think. All Thinkers are different when it comes to their required amount of time. But even 15 minutes can be fulfilling.
What Does Thinking Have To Do With Burnout?
When we aren’t doing what we are naturally talented at doing, we find ourselves feeling unfulfilled, frustrated, resentful, struggling, or exhausted.
When I was burned out, I was shocked to find out that I spent more than 80% of my day doing work that I was not naturally built to do. I spent my days having to expend more energy and brainpower to get that work done. I never walked away feeling accomplished or satisfied. The stress from having to perform work day-in-and-day-out that required so much unsatisfying effort, eventually caught up with me. I felt exhausted from the effort and continually anxious about my performance.
If Thinkers aren’t allowed time to think, they become just as exhausted, resentful, and anxious because that lack of thinking doesn’t ever feel right.
Providing Thinkers with the right amount of time and environment allows them to connect with important perspectives, patterns, learning, ideas, and solutions. With enough time to think, they will feel a connection between their thoughts and ideas, and what they are actually doing. The outcome and quality of their work is far superior than without thinking time.
Even if you don’t have what you consider a job that requires a lot of thinking, it doesn’t mean you need this time any less.
Am I Thinker?
My mouth might lead you to believe otherwise, but I do have two Strategic Thinking strengths in my top 10 of my CliftonStrengths strengths report. (Input at #2 and Strategic at #6.) My Activator strength at #5 makes me look like I don’t think before I speak. However, I find myself needing thinking time when it comes to learning new information or strategizing.
I both love and loathe other Thinkers. While they are the best brainstorming partner a girl can ask for, they also ask too many questions and require too many damn details. I’m not so much for the details… But I do respect what Strategic Thinkers bring to the team because they keep me from making as many mistakes.
