Loosing focus? - Go Fishing

Running a business has a way of convincing you that stopping is the same as falling behind. There’s always another email to answer, another decision to make, another small fire to put out. The modern business arsenal phones, laptops, instant messaging all means the business is never more than a few inches away from your attention. On paper, that sounds like control. In reality, it often becomes a trap. Even the most concerted effort to focus can become a blur.

The idea of “switching off” can feel counterintuitive, even irresponsible. But stepping away isn’t a luxury it’s a strategic necessity. And sometimes, it takes a complete change of environment to prove that to yourself.

Recently, I had that reminder in a very real way. A long overdue break from the home office. I travelled to North Carolina and spent time fishing with friends. No formal meetings, no structured agenda, no laptop open on a table. The phone stayed in a pocket more often than not. On the surface, it was a break. In practice, it became one of the most productive mental resets I’ve had in many months. Work still got done, but in the breaks, when I wasn’t talking casually about work and when I wasn’t casting a line.

What stood out immediately was the absence of urgency. At least after the first day had gotten out of the way and I had stopped tinkering with emails on my phone at the airport. When you’re immersed in day-to-day operations, everything feels critical. Every notification carries weight. But sitting in the water the water on a boat, casting a line, there’s no artificial pressure. Time slows down. Conversations stretch. You’re not trying to squeeze meaning into five-minute gaps between calls you are letting it develop naturally.

And yet, work didn’t stop.

That’s the interesting part. Business still happened. Just differently. Conversations drifted into the music industry, into brands, into retail. Ideas surfaced organically. Without the rigid structure of a boardroom or the distraction of a screen, discussions became more honest, more open, and often more insightful.

There’s something powerful about “social business” the kind that happens when people are relaxed, present, and not trying to perform. When you remove the formal setting, you also remove a layer of guardedness. People speak more freely. You explore your ideas internally without immediately filtering them through risk or expectation. You’re not presenting you’re thinking out loud – but in your head.

In that environment, clarity starts to emerge.

One of the biggest challenges in running a business is not the lack of ideas, but the noise that surrounds them. Every day brings competing priorities, conflicting data, and constant interruptions. Over time, that noise builds up to the point where it becomes difficult to distinguish between what is important and what is simply urgent.

Stepping away cuts through that.

When you’re fishing, your mind isn’t idle…. it’s just not overloaded. There’s space to think. And in that space, patterns start to form. You connect dots that didn’t seem related before. Problems that felt complex begin to simplify. Not because you’re actively trying to solve them, but because your brain finally has the room to process them properly.

It’s a different kind of productivity, one that doesn’t look like work, but delivers results that structured effort often can’t.

There’s also a shift in perspective that comes from being physically removed from your usual environment. When you’re in the office or even working remotely, but within your usual routine you’re inside the system. You’re reacting to it, managing it, keeping it moving.

When you step out of that environment entirely, you start to see the system itself.

You question assumptions that had gone unchallenged. You realise that some of the things consuming your time aren’t actually moving the business forward. That kind of perspective is incredibly difficult to achieve when you’re constantly “in it.”

North Carolina, in that sense, wasn’t just a change of scenery it was a reset of context.

There’s something about being outdoors, away from screens, that brings a different kind of focus. You’re not multitasking. You’re not half-listening while checking something else. You’re present.

And presence changes the quality of both thought and conversation. It’s worth noting that this isn’t a new concept. In many ways, it’s a return to how business used to be done.

For decades, some of the most important deals and decisions happened away from the office on golf courses, over long lunches, during social gatherings. These weren’t distractions from work; they were part of the work. The informal setting allowed relationships to develop, trust to build, and ideas to be tested in a more natural way.

The golf course, in particular, became almost symbolic of this approach. It provided a neutral ground where hierarchy softened and conversation flowed. You weren’t just negotiating, you were connecting. And that connection often led to better outcomes than any formal meeting could achieve.

In contrast, the modern approach to business has become increasingly compressed and technology-driven. Meetings are shorter, more frequent, and often more transactional. Communication is instant, but also fragmented. There’s an expectation of constant availability, which leaves little room for deep thinking.

While these tools and methods have obvious advantages, they also come with a cost.

Creativity suffers in environments where attention is constantly divided. Clear thinking becomes harder when you’re switching between tasks every few minutes. Decision-making can become reactive rather than deliberate. Over time, this can lead to a kind of mental fatigue that isn’t always obvious, but definitely impacts performance.

Taking a break, properly taking a break, interrupts that cycle.

It’s important to emphasise the distinction between a partial break and a full one. Checking emails occasionally, taking calls “just in case,” keeping the laptop within reach these things keep you tethered to the same patterns. You’re physically away, but mentally still engaged in the same loop.

Leaving the phone and laptop alone changes that dynamic completely.

There’s an initial discomfort, almost like withdrawal. You’re used to being connected, to having immediate access to information and communication. Letting go of that can feel risky. But once you move past that, there’s a sense of freedom that follows.

And importantly, you realise that stepping away doesn’t mean things fall apart. In many cases, the business continues to function just fine. Teams make decisions. Processes keep moving. In some instances, people step up in ways they might not have if you were constantly available.

That in itself is valuable insight. It highlights the importance of building a business that isn’t entirely dependent on your constant input. If everything requires your attention at all times, the issue isn’t the workload—it’s the structure.

A proper break can expose that, and give you the clarity to address it. Without the usual distractions, it was easier to focus on the bigger picture.

That’s another key benefit of switching off: it shifts your attention from the immediate to the strategic. Day-to-day operations tend to pull you into short-term thinking. You’re focused on what needs to happen today, this week, maybe this month.

A change of environment, combined with a deliberate disconnection from technology, creates the conditions for that kind of thinking.

It also reinforces the human side of business.

At its core, business is about relationships. Whether that’s with customers, partners, or colleagues. Technology can facilitate those relationships, but it can’t replace the depth that comes from real, in-person interaction.

Spending time with people in a relaxed setting builds a different kind of connection. Conversations aren’t limited to specific agendas. You get to understand perspectives more fully. Trust develops more naturally.

And trust is often the foundation for the best business decisions.

Looking back, the trip wasn’t just a break it was a reminder of what effective work can look like when it’s not constrained by constant connectivity. It showed that stepping away doesn’t mean losing momentum; in many cases, it enhances it.

The challenge, of course, is integrating that understanding into everyday business life.

Not every week can involve a trip to North Carolina or hours spent fishing. But the principles can still be applied. Creating space for uninterrupted thinking, reducing unnecessary distractions, and valuing in-person, informal interactions can all make a difference.

It might mean setting clearer boundaries around availability. It might mean rethinking how meetings are structured. It might mean deliberately stepping away from screens for periods of time, even within a normal workday.

Ultimately, running a business is not just about effort; it’s about effectiveness. And effectiveness depends on the quality of your thinking.

If your thinking is clouded by noise, distraction, and fatigue, no amount of additional effort will fully compensate for that. On the other hand, if your thinking is clear, focused, and strategic, you can achieve more with less.

Taking a break, switching off, and changing your environment are some of the most effective ways to achieve that clarity.

Occasionally, all it takes is a quiet stretch of water, a fishing line, and the decision to leave your phone in your pocket.