Have you ever wondered what separates world-class leaders and change-makers from the rest? What do Warren Buffett and Oprah Winfrey do differently that sets them apart and helps them drive change?

Michael Simmons, an award-winning entrepreneur, author and contributor to Forbes, Fortune and more, studied this question and came up with a specific resolution. He noted that these types of leaders care about what he refers to as "compound time". He defines compound time a period every day when they "step away from their urgent work, slow down and invest in activities that have a long-term payoff in greater knowledge, creativity and energy. As a result, they may achieve less in a day at first, but drastically more over the course of their lives."

In this issue of Promotional Consultant Today, we'll share Simmons' tips on how to incorporate compound time into your leadership style.

1. Keep a journal. Simmons points out that many top performers not only keep a journal, they go beyond open-ended reflection by combining specific prompts with a physical journal. Business and life strategist Tony Robbins starts each day reflecting on three things he's grateful for in his life, plus three goals he's trying to reach and his progress in reaching these goals. Simmons says that each morning, Steve Jobs stood at the mirror and asked, "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do?" Both billionaire Jean Paul DeJoria and media maven Arianna Huffington take a few minutes each morning to count their blessings. Oprah Winfrey does the same: she starts each day with her gratitude journal, noting five things for which she's thankful. Even the master Leonardo da Vinci filled tens of thousands of pages with sketches and musings on his art, inventions, observations and ideas. Keeping a journal helps us bring order and meaning to our experiences and becomes a potent tool for knowledge and discovery.

2. Take a nap! You'll like this one. Naps can dramatically increase learning, memory, awareness, creativity and productivity. Simmons notes that nap researcher Sara Mednick of the University of California, San Diego, stated: "With naps of an hour to an hour and a half … you get close to the same benefits in learning consolidation that you would from a full eight-hour night's sleep." Albert Einstein broke up his day by returning home from his Princeton office at 1:30 pm, having lunch, taking a nap, and then waking with a cup of tea to start the afternoon. Thomas Edison napped for up to three hours per day. Even Winston Churchill considered his late afternoon nap non-negotiable. Napping can make you both more productive and more creative.

3. Take a 15-minute walk. Just like napping, top performers who build exercise into their daily routine, such as simple walking, will feel the difference. Simmons says that Charles Darwin went on two walks daily: one at noon and one at 4 pm. After a midday meal, Beethoven embarked on a long walk carrying a pencil and sheets of music paper to record chance musical thoughts. It's scientifically proven that taking a walk refreshes the mind and body, and increases creativity, and has physical health benefits that can extend your life.

4. Get a conversation partner. Stimulating conversations can lead to great breakthroughs. Simmons states that in the book Powers Of Two: Finding the Essence of Innovation in Creative Pairs, author and essayist Joshua Wolf Shenk makes the case that the foundation of creativity is social, not individual. The book reviews the academic research on innovation, highlighting creative duos from John Lennon and Paul McCartney to Marie and Pierre Curie to Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. He also points out other examples, such as J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, who shared their work with each other and set aside Mondays to meet at a pub. Artists Andy Warhol and Pat Hackett took two hours each morning to "do the diary" together: recounting the previous day's activities in detail. Having a sounding board to debate and get feedback is critical to breakthroughs in pushing for higher quality output.

Get started with your compound time by setting aside one hour a day to take a nap, take a walk, write in your journal or meet with a colleague or friend. While giving up an hour now might seem like a sacrifice, it's a big leap and investment in your successful future.

Source: Michael Simmons is an award-winning entrepreneur, best-selling author and contributor to Forbes, Fortune and Harvard Business Review. He is also the co-founder of @iEmpact. This complete article first appeared on The Mission website.