Are You Finding Time To Be Curious?

I’m super busy…like ultra super crazy busy!

I have kids to take care of, a business to turn, clients to work with, a wife to keep happy, dogs that need to be walked, a team of people I need to lead, plus there’s looking after the house, helping with meals, bed times, etc.

I’M TOO BUSY TO DO ANYTHING ELSE!!!!

If you’re like most people you often get caught up in the day to day aspect of work and life.

Let’s face it, life in general is tough and in today’s world it’s darn near impossible. BUT, I want to encourage you to still find time to be curious. I know it’s hard, but it’s crucial.

I put together a video which I hope will inspire and motivate you. Please check it out below and if you want more content like this you can subscribe to my Youtube channel.

Curiosity keeps you engaged, teaches you new things, helps you grow personally and professionally, makes sure stay relevant in a rapidly changing world, allows you to solve problems and identify opportunities, and…it’s fun.

Einstein once said, “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.”

It’s the curious people who shape the future.

But how can you give yourself time to be curious when you are barely keeping your head above water?

It comes down to making time to be curious. For most people, it takes real effort to set aside our daily tasks and allow our minds to wander and think of new possibilities.

Here are five ways to make time to be curious.

Schedule it in

The most basic tactic is to simply schedule time to be curious. If it’s on your calendar, you’re more likely to actually do it. Scheduling in curiosity time can come in many forms, from giving yourself a few minutes to step away from your responsibilities to finding a new hobby or creative outlet. You don’t have to block out hours at a time — even just a 15-minute block can make a difference. And the more you schedule time to be curious, the more you’ll find yourself naturally becoming more curious.

I don’t do meetings on Mon, Wed, and Friday’s and I don’t schedule anything before 11am on Tues and Thurs. Not everyone controls their schedule, I get it. But you can still schedule some quiet or alone time for yourself each day. It’s an important practice.

Watch or read something new

Get out of your rut and watch a new movie or show you wouldn’t typically watch. Find a documentary, TED Talk, or podcast on a subject you know nothing about. Read a book in a genre you don’t typically read or a non-fiction book about something completely new. Let your mind ask questions as you read and wonder about the things you see.

A simple place to start is by looking at things tangentially related to your area of expertise or by exploring things you are passionate about or interested in.

Let your mind wander

Give yourself time to simply relax and let your mind be free. For some people this means meditation, while others let their mind wander while they spend time outside or exercising. Have you ever had a great idea while you were in the shower or while you were doing something completely unrelated to work?

Chances are these ideas pop into your head precisely because you aren’t thinking about work and you are letting your mind wander. Personally, I get all sorts of great ideas while I’m exercising or playing chess.

Forget your to-do list and let your thoughts go wherever they want. You might find yourself on a completely new thought or question then where you originally began.

Explore with a partner

You might need the buddy system to become more curious. If you’re afraid to step outside of your comfort zone, try doing it with a friend. Find a new hobby or explore somewhere new together. Even just walking in someone else’s shoes can open your mind to new perspectives and curious possibilities.

My wife and I team up frequently when looking to explore new business ideas, new movies or shows to watch, places to visit, foods to try, or just things we want to do. It’s easier for both of us to step outside of our comfort zone together because we can provide support and encouraged for each other.

Talk to new people

Most of us fall into the trap of simply searching online when we have a question, getting the answer, and moving on. Instead, try talking to new people. Find someone who is an expert or who can answer your questions and have a real conversation with them. You’ll likely go beyond where your internet search would have taken you. Talk to people wherever you go, listen to their ideas, and think of things from their point of view.

One of the reasons why I started my podcast was precisely because I wanted to speak with and learn from people who have diverse experiences, ideas, backgrounds, and insights. To this day it has been one of the best things I have done for my personal and professional life.

People are naturally curious, but those tendencies often get squashed and replaced by to-do lists and busyness. Finding time to tap into your natural curiosity and building the skill can drive your personal creativity and innovation and help you create the future of work.

In my new book, The Future Leader, I talk about this as The Mindset of the Explorer.

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If you enjoyed the article and want more content like this here’s what you can do:

1. Subscribe to The Future of Work Podcast where I interview business leaders around the world each week.
2. Grab a copy of The Future Leader which has been endorsed by the CEOs of MasterCard, Best Buy, Oracle, Audi, Unilever, Domino’s Pizza, Ritz Carlton, Kaiser, and Marshall Goldsmith. It explores the most essential skills and mindsets for future leaders.
3. If you are or want to be an entrepreneur then my wife and I just launched a brand new podcast on how to Be Your Own Boss, called the BYOB Podcast where we share what we did and how we did it. You can subscribe to that here.