Do you wake up to an alarm? If you do, you may be missing some of your best thinking time. When an alarm goes off, your mind is jarred and any thoughts are generally lost. If you can get to bed early enough to get a solid night’s sleep without waking up to alarm, it’s fun to let your mind wander before you jump out of bed.

“Theta time” is when you’re kind of groggy but awake. If you can push yourself to stay in bed and float for 10, 20, or even 30 minutes, you might be surprised what you come up with.

For me, theta time usually starts with a short meditation on gratitude – I’m grateful for another day on Earth. I’m grateful for the opportunities in my life. And I’m grateful for the challenges. Then I let my mind wander. As ideas come up, I jot them down on a pad I keep by the side of the bed specifically for this purpose. Sometimes my thoughts turn to a business project. Recently, I’ve had all sorts of ideas come up for a theater audition I’m running in a couple of weeks. If I’m working on a theater prop or piece of art, my mind often gives me the answer to a tricky puzzle I’ve pondered for days without success. And if I’m writing fiction, oh, my. You wouldn’t believe what some of the characters come up with as I sleep.

My thoughts are rarely sequential and I write whatever comes up even if I’m pretty sure I’ve had that thought before or think I already have it on to my to-do list. When I finally get up, my head is clear and I’m always excited adding theta-time ideas to my planner.

If mornings don’t work for you, naps might, or taking time just before you fall asleep. It’s also cool to ponder as you wait for things that are out of your control – like when you’re stuck in traffic or are waiting for a friend. Instead of listening to tunes, pulling out a book, or scrolling your phone, pondering can be quite productive. 🙂

Sending you keen thoughts for a fun and productive week. Here are two shots from a morning walk with Miss Grace. 

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