When was the last time you made an important decision without checking your phone, responding to an urgent email, or thinking about your next meeting?

If you're struggling to remember, you're not alone.

As leaders, we make approximately 35,000 decisions daily, yet rarely create the space to make them well. We're constantly sacrificing quality for speed, only to find ourselves solving the same problems repeatedly.

Every time you make a decision under pressure, you're not just making a choice—you're setting a direction. Those quick, between-meeting decisions often lead to:

• Miscommunication that requires clarifying emails and follow-up meetings
• Solutions that address symptoms rather than root causes
• Team confusion about priorities and direction
• The need to revisit the same issues multiple times

These "time taxes" compound daily, creating the feeling that you're constantly running behind despite working longer hours.

What if a simple 10-minute practice could transform this cycle? Here's what's been game-changing for overwhelmed executives:

1. Identify ONE major decision you need to make tomorrow
2. Block 10 minutes before that decision point (literally put it in your calendar)
3. In those 10 minutes, ask yourself: 
   • What's the actual problem I'm solving?
   • What would success look like a year from now?
   • What information am I missing?
   • Who is impacted by this decision?

It might feel counterintuitive to block time "just to think" when your calendar is already overflowing. But those 10 minutes can save hours of cleanup from hasty decisions made under pressure.

The benefits extend beyond better decisions. When you visibly prioritize decision quality over speed, your team notices.

One executive I work with started closing her office door for 10 minutes before important meetings. Within weeks, her direct reports began asking what she was doing. Soon, they adopted the practice themselves, gradually transforming how the entire department approached challenges.

"For the first time in years, I feel like I'm leading with intention rather than just reacting," she shared.

Most leadership advice focuses on doing more—more productivity hacks, more efficiency tricks, more ways to squeeze value from every minute. But exceptional leadership often comes from doing less, with greater intention.

This 10-minute practice isn't about adding another item to your to-do list. It's about creating a small pocket of calm in your day where you can reconnect with what actually matters.

If you're tired of making decisions from a place of pressure rather than purpose, try this 10-minute practice this week.

What's one decision that deserves your undivided attention?

Block 10 minutes for it tomorrow, and notice how it changes not just the quality of that decision, but how you feel making it.

After all, the goal isn't just to make better decisions—it's to become the kind of leader who has the space to think clearly even in the midst of chaos.

I help leaders get time back in their day so they can lead with purpose instead of pressure. If you found this helpful, I share one practical leadership tip each week. Feel free to forward this to a colleague who might need it too.