Meeting Mr Brown every Wednesday?

When was the last time you blocked an hour in your diary that wasn’t for a meeting, a call, or a crisis? An hour just for thinking? The kind where no one interrupts, the world stops spinning, and you finally catch up with your own brain.

If that sounds impossible, you’re not alone. Most leaders I coach tell me they’d love more time to think, but the calendar just won’t allow it. Someone always needs something, and before they know it, the week’s gone.

But here’s the thing: if you don’t make time to think, you end up reacting instead of leading. And the best ideas, the calmest decisions, the real clarity, they never come from the middle of a Teams call. They show up when you give them space.

The Accidental Genius of Mr Brown

Years ago, one of my clients did something brilliant by mistake.They’d booked a meeting with someone called Mr Brown one Wednesday afternoon and accidentally set it to repeat. It just sat there in their diary. Every week.

No one ever asked who Mr Brown was. They just knew that time was taken. And because it was a recurring meeting, no one dared book over it.

The result? A protected space. A regular appointment to step away from the noise, think, walk, reflect, whatever was needed.

Mr Brown, as it turned out, was imaginary. But the impact was very real. That standing “meeting” changed how they led. They were calmer, clearer, more intentional. One small diary trick reshaped their entire week.

Why Thinking Time Matters

Leadership is mainly about being thoughtful. Yet thinking time is often the first thing to go when the calendar fills up.

We treat reflection as indulgence, when it’s actually maintenance. It’s where we connect the dots, see patterns, and question if the work we’re doing still makes sense.

When you create time to think, even for an hour a week, you notice things you’d otherwise miss.

You lead more deliberately. You start to feel less like you’re chasing the week and more like you’re steering it.

How to Make Space for Your Own Mr Brown

You don’t need an imaginary meeting, though I admit it does add a bit of mystery. What you need is a recurring block of space and the discipline to protect it.

Try this:

• Put it in your diary like any other meeting. Weekly, same time, same day.

• Give it a name that makes you smile. Mr Brown. Thinking Time. No Interruptions. Whatever works. 

• Use it well. Go for a walk. Sit somewhere quiet. Ask yourself one good question: “What really needs my attention this week?”

• Pair up. Find another leader or colleague who wants to do the same. Block a joint recurring slot in your calendars. You don’t need to meet, but knowing someone else is doing their thinking time at the same moment keeps you accountable.

• Don’t apologise for it. This is leadership work. Your brain needs space to lead.

At first, you might feel a bit guilty. You’ll be tempted to fill it with “real” work. Don’t. That’s exactly what the world will try to do with your time if you let it.

The Real Work Happens in the Quiet

Every great leader I know has some version of this habit. They make space to step back. They understand that perspective is earned in the pauses, not the noise.

Mr Brown isn’t about hiding from work; it’s about doing it differently. It’s where ideas settle, priorities become clear, and you remember what matters most.

So if your diary’s packed and your head feels full, block the time. Call it Mr Brown, call it thinking time, call it whatever you like.

Just protect it.