Creative Thinking: Make it a Priority Weekly
Christopher Nolan on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon July 23, 2026
I watched this interview with director, Christopher Nolan, discussing his new film, The Odyssey. During the discussion, Mr. Nolan admits to not having a smart phone or email address and purposely avoids what he thinks would be the addictive practice of having a smart phone. He shares that this would impede or steal the time he likes to entertain his creative thoughts.
I will admit that I am not a scroller. I rarely will pick up my phone and spend any time on any platform and then look up and see that hours have passed. I like to post and then log off. On my LinkedIn account, I post weekly and will review my messages less frequently. Sorry, that’s what I have always done, and I have found more value in my social settings in those face-to-face encounters in the work that I love; helping others reach their potential.
So, leaders, I realize that Mr. Nolan is one extreme and you can achieve balance in your daily or weekly schedule for separation from technology to make room for your creative thinking. One way that I have incorporated this practice into my life for years is to set aside 2 hours in my schedule – same time and day weekly - where I am uninterrupted. I turn off my phone, I inform my team of this priority, and I do not accept interruptions during this time.
I also have kept a practice for years of Saturday morning reading. During the week, when I receive reports, larger emails, publications, etc., I save them for Saturday morning to review over breakfast and into the morning. This gives me uninterrupted time to process and capture the clarity needed in the morning that I enjoy. I am not a late afternoon reading or meeting professional. I work best in the morning and know myself well enough that doing something late in the day will not produce the best results.
We as leaders have many factors pulling at us and we must be intentional with our time so that we make the things we value most a priority. A leader’s weekly schedule reveals the priorities you have, just as a bank statement reveals your spending priorities. You don’t have to model Christopher Nolan’s smart phone exclusion to provide yourself time for creative thinking. You do however need to make creative thinking a priority and setting aside time on your calendar for this activity is a good habit to cultivate.
