Pause with Purpose: How Visionary Leaders Protect Their Creative Space

(6 minute read)

"This is the year I want to create something meaningful with the wisdom I’ve gathered. Maybe write a book. But I'm not clear yet about how to do it."

I was speaking with an executive at a global consulting agency over the holiday break when she shared this. I asked, what is the real challenge for her? Her main fear was that by the end of January she will be caught back in the whirlwind of deadlines, meetings and an overflowing inbox—and the crush of responsibilities will keep her from doing any meaningful work on the book she has been contemplating.

Even the most visionary leader can find herself stuck in reactive mode. A CEO I worked with recently described how her mornings started with clear intentions for creative work, but by noon, she was deep in a cycle of back-to-back meetings and urgent emails. Her boldest ideas stayed scribbled in the margins of her notebook, waiting for a quieter moment that rarely came.

Bold ideas and creative, big-picture thinking can easily get buried under layers of logistics, old habits and thought patterns.

Here’s the truth: Creativity doesn’t emerge from a packed calendar or endless task list. It requires protected space—time and attention reserved for imagining, exploring, charting a course forward and creating.

Here are five ways for visionary leaders to protect their creative space and move from concept to creation.

1. Pause with Purpose

Creativity thrives in intentional pauses. Whether it’s a morning meditation, an afternoon walk, regular thinking days, or simply blocking out non-negotiable focus time on their calendars, the most influential thought leaders intentionally create space for uninterrupted thought.

I know taking a pause can feel like a tough assignment, especially if you thrive on moving fast and get a dopamine rush from accomplishing multiple things at once. If you are a parent to young children, that adds another layer to the challenge. But the toughest assignment is often the most important. Your creative legacy is yours, and the root of your thought leadership cannot be outsourced. It needs deliberate space—purposeful pauses—to arise and grow.

Take Oprah Winfrey, for example. Reflecting on her career, Oprah shared a powerful insight about the importance of intentional pauses. After ending The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2011, she regretted jumping straight into building her network, OWN, without giving herself time to reset. “I should have completed one thing, taken a year to do nothing, and then decided what was the next thing for me to do,” she said in an interview. Her advice to others? “When you don’t know what to do, do nothing. Get still with yourself and do nothing.” Even for someone as driven and visionary as Oprah, the value of creating space for reflection and clarity is undeniable.

2. Focus on What Truly Matters

Transformational leaders know that their greatest impact comes from staying deeply connected to their purpose and vision—and that their highest contribution is to genuinely inspire people, not to manage how every detail will play out.

Visionaries have a way of seeing the future that seems almost instinctual. They sense opportunities where others see obstacles, uncover connections others miss, and imagine solutions that break through entrenched challenges. Their gift isn’t just in seeing what’s next, but in focusing to shape it with intention and clarity.

Identify your high-impact creative priorities for the year. Ask yourself: What are the bold ideas I want to bring to life? Which projects light me up and feel deeply aligned with my purpose? Take a moment to reflect on these questions and write down your answers. These priorities aren’t just tasks—they’re anchors for your vision and guiding lights for your year ahead. Then, delegate work that drains your creativity so you can stay focused on what truly matters.

3. Tend to the Vision

As a thought leader you require time to think but as a creator what you’re really doing is manifesting. Creators keep their vision in mind as they work because they know attention is key to bringing it to life.

Close your eyes and visualize yourself writing your book or creating your work. Visualization is a powerful tool because it engages your imagination and primes your mind for action. Athletes use it to improve performance, and creators can use it to clarify their vision and build momentum. Picture your ideal process—maybe it’s you and your journal or laptop, dictating into a recorder or even to a ghostwriter. See it, feel it, and allow yourself to inhabit that creative space fully.

Imagine the final product, too. Spend a little time each day picturing it in your mind’s eye. What does it look like? How does it feel to hold it? What color is it? How does it make you feel? See it as clearly as you can, and try to notice new details as they arise.

Most importantly, check in with your own heart. The clarity and courage needed for bold creative work often come not from external validation, but from deep internal awareness. Make time to pause, listen inward, and reconnect with the reasons behind your vision.

4. Find Flow

Even if it’s imperfect (and it always will be), getting into a flow state is magic. This is when the muse will visit.

The best way to find flow is to start creating. Get a journal. It is truly the difference between leaders whose ideas float around freely but don’t land as creative output, and those who do find the words and the ways to turn their ideas into a work of art.

Here’s a small but powerful practice: Set aside 25 minutes once a week (or daily, if possible) for a focused journaling session. Let it be a ritual—pen to paper, free from screens, so your thoughts can flow without constraint. Set a timer and do not stop writing until it buzzes. Don’t worry about perfection or editing—just write. The refining comes later. Trust that whatever comes out of you is leading somewhere.

Boost your creative flow with a favorite piece of music you return to each time—something that signals it’s time for focus. For me it’s Vivaldi. This simple habit can ground your creative energy and keep your vision clear.

5. Surround Yourself with Strategic Partners

Strategic partners act as sounding boards, gatekeepers, and accountability checks. They absorb complexity, clarify direction, and ensure your energy stays focused on high-value decisions, inspired creation, and meaningful thought leadership contributions.

As a creative strategist, I help visionary leaders stay connected to their boldest ideas. I guide (and sometimes ghostwrite) their most valuable creative projects and hold space for regular conversations that lead to expansion and growth.

As we step into 2025, let’s make a collective commitment: less reactive chaos, more inspired clarity. Because the world needs more mindful leaders who can pause to focus on what truly matters. Leaders who write and speak of their vision from the heart, and in doing so, inspire us all to help build a better tomorrow.

How are you protecting your creative space this year?

lauralowery.com