Reflect, Don’t Just React – The 20-Minute Habit That Builds Better Leaders
- Ben Maher
- 12 hours ago
- 3 min read
You don’t need to sit cross-legged in a park to reflect on your day. This second step in The 5PM Club ritual is about clarity—not crystals. Whether you write, walk, or just breathe, this 20-minute reset helps you lead better tomorrow by learning from today.
⚠️ Quick note: I’m not a doctor, personal trainer, or neuroscientist.I’m just a guy who’s been in hospo 20+ years, seen burnout up close, and knows what’s helped me (and the venues I work with) stay upright.
What follows isn’t medical advice—it’s practical, battle-tested insight for hospitality pros who want to feel and lead better.
🧠 What Reflection Really Means (And What It Doesn’t)
When people hear “mindfulness,” they picture someone meditating in a forest or journaling with acoustic music playing. That’s fine—if it works for you.
But for hospo workers and café owners who’ve just smashed out a 10-hour day, reflection doesn’t have to be gentle or spiritual. It just has to be real.
Reflection is:
Taking a moment to ask, "What worked today?"
Noting what didn’t go to plan—without sugarcoating it
Writing a few lines in a journal, diary, phone notes, or even a Slack message to yourself
Sitting still long enough to let your brain catch up to your body
It’s brutally honest inventory time, minus the apron.
📓 Why This 20 Minutes Matters
Here’s what happens when you don’t reflect:
You repeat the same frustrations day after day
You offload your stress onto your team (or your family)
You stay reactive instead of proactive
And here’s what happens when you do:
You decompress before your evening begins
You spot patterns—both good and bad
You become a calmer, more deliberate leader
🧘 How to Reflect (No Yoga Mat Required)
Try any of these for 20 minutes:
📝 Journal 3 things that worked, and 3 that didn’t
💭 Sit quietly and mentally walk through your day
🤳 Record a voice memo to yourself on what you’d do differently
🚶 Take a walk without your phone—let thoughts come and go
🧠 Ask: “What did I learn today?” and “What do I want to try tomorrow?”
This isn’t about perfection. It’s about showing up for yourself the same way you show up for your team and customers.
💡 Try This Today: The 5-Minute Memory Dump
If a full 20 feels like too much, start here:
Sit down somewhere quiet
Open your Notes app or notebook
Write whatever comes to mind about your day
Bonus: Finish with “Tomorrow, I’ll try...”
That’s reflection. You’re already doing it.
🔄 Why It Comes Second
Once your body’s moved and your cortisol’s reset, your brain’s in a better place to think deeply.Reflection sits between the physical release and the mental recharge in this ritual for a reason.
You’ve earned the right to pause, learn, and lead better tomorrow.And that pause? That’s where growth lives.
💬 Ready to Reset?
Don’t skip this step because it sounds soft. Reflection is a weapon—one that helps you lead with clarity instead of chaos.
Next week, we dig into the third 20-minute block: Learning—how to feed your brain without doomscrolling.
📲 Follow @bambamculinary on Instagram
👍 Like and share this with a hospo mate who needs space to think
💬 Leave a comment below—what’s your end-of-day wind-down ritual?
A better boss starts at 5PM.And better bosses reflect.
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