To Beat the Chaos, Take a Thinking Day

Last week, I read a post by John Donahoe, CEO of eBay, about how he takes a "thinking day" every few months. "These are pre-scheduled, uninterrupted times to step away from the chaos, zero-base my time, and refocus on the issues that are most important." 

He shared valuable lessons-learned and insights that not only apply to business leaders, but to all of us. Aren't we all CEO's of our lives? Don't we all need to take a "thinking day" (personally and professionally) to step back and evaluate our priorities? 

Mr. Donahoe also suggests that taking time off, pays off. We should take legitimate vacations, unplugging from the office. A difficult concept for many of us, especially in this culture of being connected 24/7, but worth it in the long run. Letting your mind settle increases creativity and can lead to new ideas and insights that might not have been possible otherwise.

In one of my favorite movies, "What about Bob?," Dr. Leo Marvin (Richard Dreyfuss) gives Bob Wiley (Bill Murray) a prescription to take a vacation from his problems. It didn't quite turn out the way that Mr. Donahoe suggests, but it's hilarious and I highly recommend you watch it anyway, possibly on vacation.

Read the post by John Donahoe.