Free For All

How do some of the best ideas come about? Ask creative people and they will tell you the most interesting stories. "I get all my ideas in the shower." "They come to me as I am about to fall asleep." "In the grocery store." "When I'm hanging upside down."

How many people answer, "All my great ideas came when I was sitting at my desk thinking about them?"

Yet, as time gets more and more strained, we spend more time at our desks and less time allowing for the activities that set our minds free. Further, the more stressed we get, the more circular our thinking becomes until we cannot seem to think of anything other than the one solution that we know doesn't work.

Some companies have recognized this problem and have instituted retreats and "thought sessions" to generate creative ideas. Judaism has its own answer. We have "thought retreats" built into our day - three times a day as a matter of fact. Three times we are told to take a break. Put your work down. Think larger thoughts. Our prayer services are a means of re-centering our days. Morning and evening we remind ourselves of God's dominion and uniqueness with the Sh'ma prayer. All three times we stand in silent reverence and praise, thank and request of God all our basic needs. It's our fifteen minute yoga class.

Unfortunately, sometimes our lives are so busy that when we do sit down to pray, all our dormant thoughts start pouring out, not letting us get to the task at hand. Many a day I have had to stop praying to put another item on my to-do list that I had forgotten about. In my busy life, sometimes 15 minutes isn't enough to get me to that quiet space where I can think. That's why I have 3 chances a day. And if it still doesn't work, I have tomorrow to try all over again.

Jewish tradition teaches us that it takes discipline to pause in your busy day. It can be most inconvenient. And stress inducing - not stress relieving. We need to make room for thought. We need to give ourselves that space. In coaching we ask everyone to have a "pause practice" - something that makes you stop and re-center in your day. We gain the most from a practice that is disciplined - a set time every day. Like the time constraints for prayer. We can reap the best rewards from this pause practice. Maybe next time you'll say, "That idea came to me while I was praying."