Taking a Pause…
How often do you find yourself thinking, “Gosh, I need a moment,” or “I just wish I could get a way for a couple days,” or “If I could sleep for a week I finally could feel caught up…,” or even, “I just need five minutes.”
I bet often. And you aren’t alone in thinking any of this. According to an analysis of Gallup data by Harvard Business School’s Ashley Whillans, “the percentage of employed Americans reporting that they “never had enough time” rose from 70% in 2011 to 80% in 2018” (Waytz, 2023). And that’s some old data from 6 years ago! Throw in a pandemic, increased social pressures and some new world events and some could say that those figures may have risen.
We know taking a pause, or a breather, or a break is good for us but why can it be so hard? The benefits are felt immediately in some cases but the process of getting to take a break is a fraught road. Part of the problem is viewing a break or respite as a destination rather than a stop on the road. We work and complete tasks and do all the things we think we need to do and then we can relax and take a break. We view a break as a reward and a thing to look forward to rather than something that is necessary to keep us going. An analogy that I personally like is that a break is like filling up our gas tank, it’s needed and without it we might not make it to our end destination. If we are running on fumes just getting to where we need to be, it will take a lot more to get our car up and running than if we had just stopped along the way.
Here are some tips to think about or even incorporate so that pauses in life become a habit or at very least not like a reward:
Habit stack a pause or moment of respite in your daily routine. If you enjoy a morning cup of coffee, can you take that time for some quiet or relaxation? Or if you have a going to bed ritual, can you incorporate some mindfulness or unplugging after that time?
Even when you don’t feel like you need it, take it anyway. Rest is a necessary aspect of life, not something that is earned.
Find ways to take a pause that feel good for you and are soul nourishing. Maybe this is a no phone day or a time to delete social media/ email apps. Or it could be a long walk in an area that you love, or even more, a nice dinner without interruption with family or friends.
Be disciplined in your approach to rest. Just as much as we exercise discipline in other areas of our life, use that same approach in this area.
Write out your whys as to why rest or taking a pause is helpful or needed in your life. Remember this list when you feel like it’s too difficult to practice or when you are having a hard time finding time.
Remember that you are worthy and deserving of a pause no matter what you accomplish or what you do.
I hope that you find this helpful in taking initiative to establish more breaks and pauses in your routines. If this resonates with you, or you want to explore this topic further, I encourage you contact me for a free 15 minute consultation.
Sources
Waytz, A. (2023, February 14). Beware a culture of busyness. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2023/03/beware-a-culture-of-busyness
