In busy lives that are largely based on routine, it’s difficult to find time to explore possible changes to those routines. But we should be thinking differently. We need to ensure that there is enough space and opportunities for taking an innovative tactic to the routine.
Why is this important? Because change is a stimulant to creativity and re-engages us in our activities. How else will new ideas and methods evolve if we don’t challenge our current practices? Also, apparently our brains need a change of pace sometimes and this change in pace can help your mind to settle and solve problems – think of your ‘Eureka’ moments – often happening when doing something entirely different.
One tried and tested way of thinking differently was made popular by Google. They adopted the 70-20-10% approach whereby you spend 70% of time in the main areas of your work; 20% of time on tasks related to core work and the remainder devoted to activities that are completely unrelated to your work.
The beauty of this approach is that it can be applied to ALL areas of your life to bring fresh ideas and novel approaches to enliven even the dullest of tasks. Why not try the 70-20-10 rule on one area of your life this week and see for yourself what the results are?