The power of Pause: You are a human being, not a human doing!

“I don’t take a single break during my workday because I want to get more done. And then I come home, and I am overwhelmed with a small child, and I cannot concentrate on him. My commute stresses me out, and I don’t sleep that well. I can hardly keep my head above water. I just don’t feel happy, and as though I am constantly catching up. “ 

Sounds familiar? This is what I hear almost every day from my clients. You are not alone.

The good news is this pattern of constant doing is self-made, so we can undo it. We are human beings, not human doings. We don’t have to survive the modern world by constantly running. Our body and mind have built-in mechanisms to recover, unwind, create and creatively problem-solve. One of the ways to access these mechanisms is to pause or take a break.  

Why we need to pause

1. Takes us out of the autopilot mode, creates space to make connections and see/hear to what we lose when we are going through everyday grind and motions.  
2. Teaches us a skill to unwind- the skill we are losing so that we can recharge and not listen to the crazy mind chatter when our heads finally hit the pillow. 
3. Enriches our experience - we finally stop and notice & appreciate things around us, allowing to enjoy the journey more
4. Connect with ourselves- we get in touch with our intuition or gut feeling or internal compass (or whatever you want to call it) to make sure what we do aligns with what matters to us. 

As a result, we feel more energized, clear-headed, see the bigger picture, gain new perspectives, and problem-solve more effectively & creatively. 

Ways to take a pause, and some require very little time.

1. Take a breath. Seriously, NOW! Sit down, take a deep breath in, and a nice delicious breath out. And then another one, because it is going to feel so damn good. Repeat throughout the day - between meetings, on your commute or during bathroom breaks.
2. Adopt a meditation or mindfulness practice. Meditation has been well researched to help disassociate from our thoughts. Start small, and do it consistently. 
3. Unplug- Go for a walk/run/bike ride without your cell phone, do a yoga class, lie down and listen to relaxing music for 10 minutes, spend half a day away from any technology, bake or cook in silence, leave your phone in a different room for the night.
4. Go away from your To-Do list (Literally!) - Take yourself out of an environment where everything prompts you to keep doing to a place that promotes relaxation. Nature is perfect. Take a day hike, find a room/ a house on Airbnb, go away for the weekend in nature. 

Taking a longer pause gives access to more of your unconscious mind and allows for bigger shifts and realizations to happen. Guy Claxton, a psychologist at Bristol University, unpacks the latest research in cognitive science and explains why intelligence increases when we think less. We basically access the unconscious—what he calls the “undermind,” the place where intuition, contemplation, and instinct reside. No wonder, greater creativity, new perspectives and eureka moments often follow after we take a break, pause or disconnect ( Is that why best ideas come in the shower?!).

You will likely face common struggles : 

1. “I just cannot turn my mind off” As I mentioned above, we spend so much of our time wound up and dealing with emotional hijacks that it is just difficult to turn the mind off. The more you practice, the better you get. 
2. “I just feel so uncomfortable” I feel you. Overwork or constant work is often a means of escaping ourselves. People literally feel anxious about what might happen if they stop. If we are not ticking things off our to-do list, then who are we? One solution is to just carry on, but is that the right solution? Finally, you will have to stop and you will look back. Will you be happy about your journey?  
3. “I do not have time!” Well, no one does these days. But at the same time, you will hear about the most innovative minds of our century meditating and working out every day, finding time for retreats and training. Some of the practices do not take much time, but you have to prioritize them above other things and schedule them into your calendar. Also, If you connect to why taking a pause is important to you, you will be more likely to do it. 

Remember, that those around you very much benefit from you being more clear-minded, less stressed, more creative and fulfilled. 

You don’t need to wait for burnout or big transitions or any dramatic events. Pausing is part of living and breathing. You need it, and you deserve it, and you can create it.

I created something magical for you to understand and experience the power of pause for yourself, release what holds you back ( thoughts, guilt, fear) and to develop a sustainable practice of intentional pause-ing in just 2 hour virtual workshop you can join from anywhere.

Power of Pause Virtual Workshop: a practical guide to get your time & sanity back ( 2 hours)

May 25th 6-8:00 pm EST - Exclusive to Women In Product. You can register here

June 11th 6-8:00 pm EST, You Can register here

The workshop is hands-on with personal reflection, practices and exercises to help you move past what holds you back from the realizing a full power of pause.

• Understand realities of modern lifestyle and its impact on our minds
• The power behind pause: why do we need to slow down to go faster
• The myth of multitasking
• How to design purposeful pauses
• How to overcome the resistance, fear and guilt to pause
• Make your plan to include purposeful pauses into your life

The number of spots is limited to 20 participants max.

If you are not available for the workshop, keep in touch via my newsletter on all things mindfulness, resilience and leadership.

Want to bring the power of mindfulness for resilience and leadership to your organization, let's chat, and I can share how other organizations have successfully done it!