Why reflection matters

For busy professionals taking time for reflection can often be a low priority. It's easy to get caught up in the busyness of your day and neglect to pause for thought. In fact, when you have lots to do, the very act of stopping may not seem possible, and certainly not the best use of your time! However, taking time to reflect really does matter.

Essentially, spending time in reflection is a process of learning. By thinking through your experience, you have new knowledge which will help influence how you make future decisions, as well as identifying any areas you wish to improve or change.

Reflection can be integrated into a daily practice, taking a few minutes during and at the end of the day. It can be used to look back on the week or month, or after a particular project. The good news is that studies show that people who take time out regularly to self-reflect actually achieve more.

Why taking time to reflect matters

Enables you to see the bigger picture -  Making time for refection will help you to see the bigger picture and to keep a healthy perspective. You will be clearer on which areas you wish to focus on, and what your next priority should be.

Creates space to solve problems - Taking time to reflect on difficult situations provides the opportunity to think through challenges, draw on past experiences, and plan what you need to do.

Helps you to re-charge your batteries -  Spending time reflecting provides valuable space to re-charge your batteries.  You will have more energy for tasks, be clear on your focus, and as a result will feel less stressed.

Enables you to make important changes - Reflection provides the clarity required to learn from experiences. As you will  become clearer on what's not working, you will gain valuable insight to stop repeating unhelpful patterns. Consequently, you will  be able to make important changes necessary for growth.

Improves confidence -  The process of reflection provides the opportunity to see what's going well, to acknowledge your achievements and consider any new skills, resulting in a confidence boost.

Enables you to be Creative - When you have space to reflect, this will open up the opportunity for you to come up with new ideas and be more creative.

Increase self-awareness - A regular reflective practice will result in greater self-awareness. This is key for building resilience and leading a happier, more fulfilled life.

Summary

Building reflection into your daily and weekly practices is important. As a key development tool it enables learning which is necessary for personal and professional growth. The results are many; you will have greater clarity, get more done, enabling you to focus on what really matters.

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog

My name is Diane Benson and I support busy professionals to be more effective, reduce stress and achieve a healthy balance in life. Providing clarity and focus for a more fulfilling personal and professional life.

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