It may seem a very strange thing to say, but sometimes thinking is just hard work. By this I mean sitting down, or walking about thinking about the business or a piece of work and doing nothing else but thinking about it, for a period of time. Have you ever noticed how easy it is for the mind to wonder off onto a million different things and go “off topic” in a very short space of time? Have you ever noticed how easily and quickly we want to get directly into “doing” mode, because it seems more productive and tangible than just thinking? And how often do we allow ourselves to recognise a “gut” feeling or instinct telling us about something, as opposed to what our conscious mind may tell us? Workplaces today are hugely busy places and often the pressure to “do” is at the expense of quality thinking time. We decision make with facts and figures and sometimes not on what may “feel” right, given a number of different variables. We’re encouraged to think, plan and do – yet how different could things be if we allowed ourselves to think, feel, plan and do?