One of the obvious side effects of being out of work for three months is that you’re forced to take a break from the 9-to-5 routine that most of us end up enslaved to.

But in my case this enforced ‘break’ has turned out to be the best thing I could have done.

Taking any length of time off work to simply think and reflect might seem like a luxury few of us can afford. But it’s one of the best investments I’ve made in a long time, both professionally and personally. I’ve found a clarity I wouldn’t have found any other way.

Carving out time to pause and reflect has allowed me to step back and gain perspective. Most of us are constantly in the thick of things, buried in our work and our inboxes, and it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. A break from the daily grind provides the mental space needed to reassess direction, goals, strategies and priorities. It’s like hitting the refresh button, allowing new ideas to emerge and unexpected solutions and ideas to surface.

It also gives us time to dream. And breathe.

Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates all made a point of taking time off from their busy schedules to think, reflect and ponder. Gates famously has his ‘Think Weeks’ where he hides away with a stack of books and a notepad. These periods of isolation have been credited with some of his most groundbreaking insights.

Stepping away from work can also significantly boost your creativity. Our brains need down time to make connections between disparate ideas, and this is often where creative breakthroughs happen. Ever noticed how your best ideas come to you in the shower or during a quiet walk? That’s your brain at work, free from the clutter of the daily grind.

Being out of work isn’t fun, and there have been many occasions when I’ve struggled for motivation, or I’ve let all the worry get the better of me, or I’ve felt incredibly guilty for not being constantly productive. I’m one of those people who needs to keep busy – at least, I used to.

I’ve learnt a lot about myself over the past three months, things I’d never have learnt had I not had the space and the time. On Monday I start a new job as Venture Coach for beVisioneers: The Mercedes-Benz Fellowship, and I couldn’t be more excited.

It was the time away that gave me the clarity (and opportunity) to focus my time on this exciting line of work. Watch this space for more.

So thank you, universe, for gifting me the chance to think.

I hope I don’t let you down.