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As an entrepreneur who travels over 200 days a year, I am all too familiar with the steady grind of launching, scaling and sustaining a business, charity or social enterprise — and how all-consuming it can be. Like most entrepreneurs, I find the process exhilarating but exhausting at times, and it’s a cycle that leaves little space or personal energy for the most important part of being an entrepreneur: innovating.
Steve Jobs said, “Innovation is the only way to succeed. You can’t stand still.” Most entrepreneurs intuitively know that if you’re standing still in business, you’re essentially moving backward because we have to assume our competitors are constantly innovating and pushing forward.
Even though we know how essential it is to take the time to innovate, carving out time to simply think and try to conceive of the next big idea is something not enough of us prioritize in our busy work and personal lives.
As challenging as it can be, I’ve adopted several practices to make “innovation time” as much a part of my schedule as other key elements of business success like financial reviews, preparing for big meetings or HR oversight.
Related: I’ve Spent 37 Years in Business — Here’s How I Beat the Odds and Stayed Ahead
1. Use flight time to detach and think
From the airport lounge to when I get off the plane, air travel provides a rare window when I have no meetings planned. The temptation is to use that time to catch up on emails and texts, even when cruising at 30,000 feet. But once we are airborne, I put my phone away and use that time to read, journal or close my eyes and think.
This deliberate detachment helps clear my mind and open it up to reflections and new ideas that do not often surface during hectic workdays or busy evenings and weekends with my family.
2. Mentor walks
One of my favorite practices is going on a long walk or hike with one of my mentors — preferably somewhere remote and quiet, far from the distractions of the city. I learned this technique from one of my first mentors, Richard Branson, and I carried it forward over the years with regular walks with him and other mentors.
Walking in nature calms our minds and gives us the time to ponder and discuss big ideas and challenges. The free flow of conversation, movement, and the calm of the outdoors can be transformative and has led to some of my biggest innovation breakthroughs. On one such walk with another mentor, eBay founding President Jeff Skoll, we developed an entire model for a social enterprise that we later launched and ran for over a decade.
Given the logistics of carving out a few hours for both me and my mentor, it takes work to do these more than twice a year. But the process recharges me and inspires thoughts and ideas I can go back to during future innovation hours on my own.
Related: Be a Mentor: 4 Simple Ways to Change a Life
3. Block “innovation hours” into your calendar
Consistently making time for innovation should be a non-negotiable part of your weekly schedule. This may seem obvious to most, but follow through and actually using the time as intended is the key.
Blocking off innovation time in my calendar also reminds me that innovation is a priority for me and sends a signal to my team that they should also prioritize innovation in their schedules.
I’ve learned to be ruthless about protecting these hours because something that could be perceived as more urgent or important always comes up.
Related: 7 Tips for Managing Your Schedule Like a Pro
4. Fitness time can be innovation time
Most of us recognize the physical and mental health benefits that come from regular exercise. Still, it can also be a tool for unlocking innovation. Exercise gets your heart rate up and endorphins flowing and can often lead to a place of clear and undisturbed thinking.
It also teaches us that if we put in the work, we can overcome challenges. Whether it’s achieving a new personal best for bench press, shaving off seconds from your 3-mile run time, or thinking of a perfect pitch for that one client, the solutions to overcoming physical and business challenges can sometimes overlap. Both require focus and a willingness to push through discomfort to achieve a breakthrough.
I’ve had several “eureka” moments while mid-lift or in the midst of a yoga flow. When we’re fully immersed in the physical task, our minds are free to wander and intuitively seek to solve issues that have been subconsciously nagging our conscious minds.
So, put those workouts in your calendar and protect them as closely as your innovation hours. I’m willing to bet you’ll get into better shape and have a few “eureka” moments of your own before long.
Once we accept that innovation is critical to keeping our businesses and organizations moving forward, we need to be intentional in regularly carving out time to give our minds the space to innovate.
Your next big innovation is probably not as far off as you might think. You just need to be deliberate about giving your mind the time to unlock it.
