How spending a Shultz hour – with pen and paper and no distractions – allows time to ponder, process events, dream big and review your life goals
- Deliberately planned quiet time, named for former US politician George Shultz who practised it, is when we can delve into the big questions and set goals
- Writing down thoughts often helps us to see them more objectively, and can help increase mental clarity and reduce stress. Experts explain why
The speed of modern life, with its constant barrage of information, smartphone notifications and interruptions, can make it difficult to stop and simply think.
That is why we could all do with a “Shultz hour” – a time to ponder and process in what can be termed “focused daydreaming”.
Shultz hour gets its name from the late United States secretary of state George Shultz, who served under US President Ronald Reagan. The grand diplomat credited much of his success to his habit of holing up in his office for an hour, not to be disturbed – unless his wife or the president called.
“You’ve got to dream a little bit if you are going to get somewhere,” Shultz once said.
To practise your own Shultz hour, you need to carve out one hour each week to sit in solitude with a pen and paper. During this hour, let your mind wander and make notes or scribble your thoughts as they flow. This allows you to review what is happening in your life, and see what you need to do to move ahead or if corrective action is needed.
The warning signs of stress, how it can make you ill and what to do
If we are always leading life at a frenetic pace, there is no time to reflect on the bigger issues. That can lead to stress.
Writing down your thoughts can help you see them more objectively. According to a study published in 2001 in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, writing can help increase mental clarity and reduce stress.
Supriya Aggarwal, a life coach based in Delhi, India, began practising Shultz hour herself in 2018 when she was introduced to The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path To Higher Creativity, a popular novel by US author and artist Julia Cameron that teaches a way of unlocking creative potential.
“She called it ‘the morning pages’ in her 12-week self-help book. I began by dedicating an hour first thing in the morning and simply writing. Not with an agenda, but simply allowing me to express myself most authentically.
“It allowed my unconscious thoughts and feelings to come to the surface and let them out on the paper. I kind of dumped everything on paper, creating space in my mind and body for new and improved things,” says Aggarwal.
As a “trauma-informed” coach, she uses this method with her clients, recognising that past traumas can affect their well-being and focusing on building their resilience and empowering them. It has helped them significantly in their lives.
Rama Krishna, 38, is an IT professional in Bangalore, India, who practises the Shultz hour regularly.
“I put away my phone and laptop and sit on my balcony with pen and paper. Most of my most meaningful breakthroughs occur at this time, whether life choices or deciding on a particular change in my life. I think deliberately planned quiet time is when we can delve into the big questions and set goals,” Krishna says.
An Indian psychotherapist, Deenaz Damania, says: “So much of our behaviour every day is geared towards distracting ourselves from ourselves. Being busy could be an excuse to deflect attention from our inner selves.
“The sad part is that this kind of self-distracting way of life destroys the creative space that lies within each of us, the space that helps us lead our lives in a more meaningful and purposeful manner.”
She describes the Shultz hour – “this one hour a week or day, with just a pen and a sheet of paper” – as “a gift we give ourselves to help us redirect the narrative of our lives. This quiet non-doing time can help us change our life story”.
What’s the key to a meaningful life? 4 expert tips, from purpose to mattering
Drawing on her popular master’s course at the University of California, Los Angeles, social psychologist Cassie Holmes, in her book, Happier Hour: How To Spend Your Time for A Better, More Meaningful Life, advocated the Shultz hour as a time of quiet reflection.
“It doesn’t even have to be an hour – start with half an hour or even 15 minutes dedicated to letting your mind brim with thoughts,” she suggests.
Shultz used his office – but you can improvise.
Richa Sharma, 34, a writer based in Kolkata, India, says: “It doesn’t have to be your office or even your study. I usually sit in a cafe or a garden and just write or scribble in my journal.
“It is my most pleasurable time when I am not a slave of technology and I don’t answer my phone. I often come up with creative solutions to problems when I do this.”
