The Secret Sauce of Top Executives: Exploring the Power of Optimal Thinking Times

Episode Description

Finding Your Best Time for Visionary, Strategic & Critical Thinking

In this episode of "Help Me Think," I emphasize why top-performing executives must protect their optimal thinking times in their schedules, including when and how they do it. This episode aims to help you identify your ideal mental state for productive thinking and provide insights into when and how to cultivate this state more frequently. I guide you to identify your best mental states for deep thinking, then share strategies to incorporate those into your routines for maximum productivity and efficiency.

Key Takeaways

Together, we embark on a reflective exercise where you recall your best ideas or problem-solving moments from the past three to six months, considering where you were and what you were doing. Then, I introduce you to a powerful tool called the Mood Meter to reveal your mental state during these moments.

Contrary to popular belief, feeling good and having high energy isn't always ideal for deep thinking. Sometimes, the best thinking occurs when the energy level is more relaxed. I highlight our theta state, a mid-length brain wave pattern associated with daydreaming right before drifting to sleep or waking up. This relaxed mind state has unique access to the subconscious, facilitating creativity and insight.

Then, to delve even deeper into your ideal mental states for visionary, strategic, creative, and critical thinking, I relate all of this to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's Flow Theory and introduce you to the Four Flow Profiles from the Flow Genome Project.

Flow Theory correlates varying emotional conditions with productivity and emphasizes a state of intense focus that enhances productivity, often associated with peak performance and being 'in the zone.' We discuss the concept of flow state and explain how different states of mind impact our thinking process, creativity, and problem-solving capabilities.
The Flow Genome Project's assessment helps you identify and understand your peak performance state when you feel and perform your best. (Personally, as a Deep Thinker flow profile, my best ideas emerge during periods of deep, uninterrupted thought.) This analysis of emotional state and flow profiles is helpful for understanding your distinct flow state and how to use it to enhance productivity, leading to more visionary, strategic, creative, and critical thinking

Please tune in now to reflect on your best thinking times and mental states and then consciously create more of these moments, protecting them in your calendars.

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Episode Links

Starla's Website and Newsletter Sign-p: www.starlawest.com/podcast

Starla's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/StarlaWest

Podcast Sponsor, Business Furniture: https://businessfurniture.net/

The Mood Meter App: https://moodmeterapp.com/

8 Traits of Flow According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: https://positivepsychology.com/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-father-of-flow/

Flow Genome Project - Take the Flow Profile: https://www.flowgenomeproject.com/flow-profile

Special Thanks To Our Title Sponsor

I want to thank our title sponsor, Business Furniture, an organization celebrating its 100th anniversary and revolutionizing the way we work since 1922. With hybrid work becoming mainstream, Business Furniture offers solutions that balance the flexibility employees crave with the need for fostering collaboration and innovation. Check them out at businessfurniture.net.

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Special Thanks to My Podcast Coach

I want to thank Chris Spangle of podcastingandplatforms.com. Without his help, I would have never gotten this podcast up and running. Thank you, Chris!

What was your favorite lesson from this episode? Please let me know, and after you apply what you learned, make sure you share your breakthrough moments and successes with me. And, of course, I welcome your feedback, questions, insight, experience, and suggestions. You can share them here, as well! Critical comments are fine, but we'll delete your comments if you're rude. Please do not put your URL in the comment text, and use your real name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun, and thanks for adding to the conversation.