Thinking time as something to buy

Why do we get stuck rushing our thinking at work?

Is it because we’re so focused about ‘efficiency’ and ‘productivity’ that we focus on outputs rather than thinking? Producing something is better than nothing? Ironically if we don’t give appropriate time to thinking then what we produce isn’t our best work and the idea of efficiency is out the window too.

In professional services, or any work where we account for the time it takes to complete tasks, projects etc, this is possibly most pronounced. Each week there are ‘deliverables’ – something that is produced to demonstrate work completed. This is often very necessary and very good stuff, but sometimes the pressure to create something, anything perhaps takes priority over thinking time. Producing takes priority over developing understanding.

On the flip side, when creating something as a product of thinking is done well, the process of writing clearly, creating a model is a wonderful reflective practice to gather feedback and think with others. It also becomes a ‘thing’ put out into the world.

This has me wondering why we the ‘less thinking, more producing’ tendencies occur. Could it be that clients don’t value it? I don’t think so. Could it be that firms aren’t confident to bill for it? What if on an invoice there was a line item for team thinking time? What would the reaction be from those billing for it (would they feel uncomfortable?) and from those needing to pay it (would they argue against the charge of it?)??

Or maybe, ironically, we’re just not thinking about thinking.