Do You Need a "Think Week?"
Twice a year, I get away to work on big, audacious business and personal projects. It’s been life-changing for me. Here’s how it's done.
You wake up every workday with a to-do list swimming through your mind. There are boxes to check, conversations to have, obligations to meet, and maybe if you’re lucky, a chance to connect over coffee or lunch.
But do you ever feel like that big idea, or that wouldn’t-it-be-nice project, never seems to climb high enough on your list of priorities?
This was how I felt in 2017, and after learning about Bill Gates’s “Think Week” tradition, I decided to try it out. (While Gates spends an actual week or more at his cabin in the woods, I’ve found 3 days to be the right amount of time before I must return to civilization.)
Having just completed my 12th “Think Week,” I can declare the practice as among the most important in my toolbox.
During these times away, I’ve modeled endless new business ideas (including TBS), researched a ton of tools we now use in the businesses, developed my entire personal operating system, wrote a book manuscript, developed annual “playbooks” for the companies and had deep and meaningful conversations with fellow attendees. All of this in two 3-day sessions a year.
Sound like something worth trying? Here’s how:
Who Should Attend?
“Think Week” can be successful by yourself or with a small group. I prefer a spring trip with 4-5 others and a solo fall trip. Both setups have distinct advantages and disadvantages.
If you “Think Week” on your own, the trip is logistically easier: no schedules to coordinate and virtually unlimited accommodations. The downside? Depending on where you fall on the introversion scale, it can get a bit lonely. I’m a severe introvert, and even I start talking to myself in odd voices after three days alone.
On the other hand, the logistics can be a challenge with a group, but the conversations before and after work sessions are pure magic. There’s something special about a cadence of breakfast together, work on your own, lunch together, work on your own, and dinner together that leads to significant, groundbreaking progress.
Of course, significant thought must be put into selecting fellow attendees. It would be best to invite only those capable and willing to do deep work. Some people cannot do deep work, and if that’s the case, you will have a huge distraction during the work sessions. Perhaps it goes without saying, but all attendees should be friendly, considerate, professional individuals that cohabitate well.
Where Should You Go?
Where you conduct “Think Week” is a very personal decision. I’d recommend a calming and inspiring setting, ideally within three hours of where you live. I recommend looking for solitude, so busy hotels or resorts may not be a good idea. You want to reduce distractions as much as possible while still having access to cellular service, wifi, and meals out.
My spring trip occurs either in the Sierras or on the Pacific Coast. Since it’s a group trip, we rent a home with sufficient bedrooms and large living areas where we all work comfortably. In addition, an enjoyable outdoor space with epic views is a bonus, as it’s a great spot to process between work sessions or during meals.
My fall trip, on my own, is in Southern California and precedes an annual family trip. So I fly down a few days early, work independently, and then my family joins me. (Yes, my wife is a saint!) I set up a card table in the condo, facing the view, and get to work. Super simple and effective.
What Should You Work On?
A beautiful thing about “Think Week” is its flexibility to meet whatever situation you find yourself in.
Some years I’ve been in growth mode, so planning and modeling has been the focus. Some years occur during a crisis, so thinking through how I’ll lead in the months ahead was critical. Other sessions have been amid stability, so just working on big projects is what was needed.
The critical thing to avoid is simply using “Think Week” as another work day. Dive into your email in the morning, and you’ll realize two hours later you never started what you intended to start!
I often begin with this question and then generate a project list from there: “What single thing could I accomplish that would have a significant impact on my business or me personally?”
If you focus on this list during “Think Week,” I guarantee you’ll leave your time away excited about what you’ve accomplished.
How Do You Plan for “Think Week?”
Preparing for “Think Week” allows you to be effective from the moment you commence session 1. Here’s how the lead-up to “Think Week” might look:
6 Months Prior
Decide if this will be a group or solo trip.
Choose dates and block them out on your calendar. (Just starting out? Try a single day. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish in 8 hours of deep work.)
Choose a location and research accommodations.
3 Months Prior
Start a list of potential projects or areas of focus. Once you start a list, your subconscious mind scans the world around you. Pretty soon, you’ll be adding multiple topics a week to your list. It’s fascinating how this works.
Finalize your accommodations.
Notify anyone who’ll need to know that you’re “off the grid” so you can reallocate responsibilities.
1 Month Prior
If you’re a leader in your organization, send your team a brief list of questions. Ask for their opinion on projects that you should work on or things you can improve upon. I’ve done this a few times, leading to great “Think Week” projects.
1 Week Prior
You’ve heard of block scheduling, right? Build a block schedule for your time away, plugging in specific projects for each work session.
Think through meals and write out a grocery list as needed. You want to reduce distractions, and thinking of where and what you will eat for each meal is a needless waste of finite mental power.
1 Day Before
Purchase groceries for the trip.
Make sure you have two laptop chargers (I made this mistake once…), any books you’ll need, and plenty of paper and pens if you’re an analog person.
Set your email and voicemail to “Out of Office.” You’ll not be accessing these during “Think Week.”
During “Think Week”
Make sure your phone and all notifications are turned off during work sessions.
Like a work meeting, start your work sessions on time and have a defined stop time.
I love using the Pomodoro Technique, both during “Think Week” and regular work days. I find I can work 30% longer with the same output.
Follow your interests! “Think Week” is about discovering and maintaining excitement for your work. If an idea pops up worth exploring, do it! (Assuming it’s a worthwhile thing to focus on, of course.)
Keep a To-do List for when you return. As you’re working, you’ll have all sorts of things pop into your head. Get them onto paper so you don’t burden your mind with “real world” tasks.
Post Think Week
Take a long reflective walk a week or so after “Think Week.” Was it helpful? What could have been better? What might you work on next time? Reflecting in this way may validate “Think Week” as an effective tool in your arsenal.
I hope you find the “Think Week” concept worth trying. I know its significant effect on me and those attending our spring group session. I wish the same for you!
Books of Note: A busy work schedule and recent travel have impacted my reading a bit. I just started Liftoff (story of SpaceX) and Tribe of Mentors (from one of the best, Tim Ferris), so hopefully, I’ll have some feedback for you in the coming weeks!
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