--- title: How to Spend Time Thinking | The Sales Blog description: "There is one activity that will have a tremendously beneficial impact on your results: thinking. You mind is always working, but it isn’t always doing the productive work of thinking. Much of the time it is running loops, asking the same questions over and over again, and driving you into the same states. To interrupt […]" image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shutterstock_39608662.jpg --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! 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You mind is always working, but it isn’t always doing the productive work of thinking. Much of the time it is running loops, asking the same questions over and over again, and driving you into the same states. To interrupt the loop and do the productive work of really thinking, you have to slow down, make the time, make the space, and use the tools to think. #### Time to Think Thinking takes more time than you think. Unless you [schedule time](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/why-productivity-hacks-dont-work) to think, spending too much time thinking won’t do it. You make time to exercise your body so that it stays strong, healthy, and so that it serves you well. You have to do the same thing for your mind. Schedule time when you can be alone to do nothing but think. This isn’t time to plan your next week, even though you might have ideas about what you need to put on your agenda. It isn’t time to work on a project, even though you may generate ideas about those projects. Just block the time to be alone with absolutely no agenda but thinking. If you want to make this time more powerful and more productive, do it first thing in the morning. Instead of spending too much time thinking about how to organize it, spend time doing it. #### Space to Think You need a space to think. That space needs to be [free from distractions](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/right-now). Your mind is a novelty-seeking device. It evolved to pay attention to things that are new and interesting. And it evolved to create things that are new and interesting. Your space to think should foster the later, the creation of new, interesting, or useful ideas. Someplace that is comfortable. Someplace quiet. No Internet. No television. No other people present. Just you and your thoughts. And maybe classical music or music you might hear in a spa. #### Tools to Think I love technology, and I can’t imagine not using all of [my electronic tools](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/my-three-favorite-new-productivity-tools). But honestly, I do my best thinking with one of two tools: the single blank page of a Google Doc or a legal pad and pen. Both of these tools allow the free flow of ideas. Each allows you to write down the ideas as they come to you. Some people love mind maps. Other people like index cards. Some people don’t write anything down. Whatever works for you is the right choice. #### Thinking Write down whatever comes to your mind. Then write down the next thing that comes to your mind. If you can’t think of anything to write, write down “I can’t think of anything to write.” Write something until some idea comes to you, and an idea will surely come to you (you may be out of practice taking time to think). Write until you run out of things to write, and then go back and read everything that you have written. As you reading, write down the ideas that come to you as you are prompted by what you have written. There’s more in those ideas, and thinking about them bring out more ideas. Ask yourself: “Why is this important now?” Ask, “What should I be doing with this idea?” Ask, “What value does this idea have an what would make it a stronger idea?” Ask, “Who would benefit from this idea?” Answer the questions that come to you, then answer the questions that those answers bring. Evaluate your ideas. Ponder them. Thinking is asking yourself questions about ideas. You produce more and better ideas when you make the time to think. Block time, make space, use the tools, and improve your results by spending time thinking.   ###### Tags: [Productivity](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/productivity) [2014](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2014) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on June 13, 2014 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. 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What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2024-09-05T10:33:56 AM", "datePublished" : "2014-06-13 21:09:50", "description" : "There is one activity that will have a tremendously beneficial impact on your results: thinking. You mind is always working, but it isn’t always doing the productive work of thinking. 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