A talk by Tessa Lindqvist
The Two-Hour Experiment: Thinking Time for People Who Are Always Busy
Quoted per event · Talk, 30 to 45 minutes, with a four-week practice task afterwards
What it covers
Meetings and requests can fill the diary before you have time to think. This talk treats thinking time as an experiment rather than a resolution. Participants choose a two-hour weekly block, decide what it protects them from, and agree one signal that tells their team when to leave them alone. Tessa shares the research on how interruptions affect knowledge work, the working-time rules every UK employer and worker should know, and what usually goes wrong in week two. Each participant leaves with a four-week plan to try.
What people take away
- A realistic weekly block, placed in the diary before they leave the room.
- A short script for saying no to a meeting without damaging a relationship.
- A way to tell, after four weeks, whether the experiment worked.
Illustrative, AI-generated
For organisers
- Before
- A one-page audience brief
- After
- A one-page summary for participants and a short note for the organiser on what came up
- Confidentiality
- Nothing said by participants is reported back by name
Questions from organisers
How far ahead should we book?
Six to eight weeks is comfortable. Shorter notice is sometimes possible; ask on the form.
Can you tailor a talk to our sector?
Tessa can adapt the examples and language. She does not claim sector expertise she does not have, so you will see the framing of the talk before it is delivered.
Do you take questions?
Yes. Talks keep a third of the time for questions and discussion.
Is travel included?
Within central London, yes. Elsewhere, travel and any overnight stay are added to the quote at cost.
The writing behind it
Other talks
Tell Tessa the date, the audience and how long you would like.
Ask about a talk