While most of us have a system capturing stray ideas as they come up over the course of the day, it can pay off to put aside some dedicated 'thinking' time, according to the Lifehack.org blog.
Unlike daydreaming or brainstorming, this 'directed' thinking means putting aside time for focusing on one thing. You could use this time to mull over new business ideas, for solving personal or professional challenges you're facing, or even just planning the year ahead.
You'll need to put aside time to be alone, somewhere quiet, with pen or keyboard close to hand to take notes.
There were a couple of particularly useful tips  - one being to go for a walk, the other being to drive and park your car somewhere quiet. I can personally vouch for the walking idea - I go for regular walks and often I'll come up with an idea or an answer to a problem I'm working on, even if I'm not actively thinking about the problem at hand.
11 Tips to Carve Out More Time to Think [Lifehack.org]

 

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