Purpose of the Pause

The energy required to do nothing is more draining than the energy required to take a small step.

The above statement has been a lightbulb moment for me recently, as I have become more mindful of the benefits of keeping moving forward however small the steps. When there is a task or project lined up that I have committed to seeing through, I have found it interesting to notice the internal chatter that develops over the subject of pacing myself and taking breaks from it. Do you notice what you start to say to yourself when you set a goal and commit to its completion? What happens when you hit the first bump in the road?

While I am a great believer in keeping momentum and small steady steps forward can be much more satisfying, and overall successful, than lurching in erratic spurts; I am not saying that it is necessary to plough forwards without stopping until the task is over. However, we can be our own worst enemy with the excuses that we come up with when procrastinating over finishing a task. I have been aware that I can kid myself that taking it steady is good for me and I don’t want to end up resenting a project if I don’t take breaks. But what is really going on is that the breaks I take from it are not filled with rest or recuperation, but with something else less wholesome.

I have been noticing the quality of my rest recently and what a big difference it makes how I enter a period of not working.  Notice the contrast between the following two scenarios. Imagine first you are working on a task, but after a while you drift into a time of distraction and not keeping focus on your work. Your hand finds your phone and pretty soon you are scrolling through social media while having a break from work. Imagine the second scenario, where the timer sounds that you have worked for 45 minutes. You finish typing your sentence and you get up and take a walk around the garden before refilling your glass of water. You are having a break from work.

Both are a time away from the task, but the quality of the break depends on how deliberate it is and how it makes you feel. What are the benefits of taking a small break? Does the break enhance my well-being to continue with the task? Or is the quality of the break actually detrimental to my motivation and self-respect because I have drifted into stopping work rather than making the deliberate choice to pause?

Drifting or being distracted from work and deliberately taking a break are very different. The first can cause us pain because we struggle with the effects of procrastination and the deeper more subtle reasons for moving away from a task. These could include fear of failure (“If I finish the task it could be judged harshly by my colleagues”) or strangely the fear of success (“How will my life change and will I be able to cope?”) or simply a mismatch of your values and the inherent nature of the task (A creative thinker being asked to record mind-numbing data robotically).

So next time you notice yourself taking a break from a task, ask yourself what is the nature of the pause and how is it effecting my well-being? What shifts in habit can bring me the positive benefits of taking a break rather than the draining feeling of distraction and lack of motivation?

A full conscious step towards deliberate rest will raise your energy and increase motivation.

Questions from a supportive coach can bring a consciousness to the rhythm of your life. As your coach, I will ask how your thoughts surrounding taking breaks are serving you. And I will support you as you develop habits that will increase your momentum, your energy and your output.

So growing in awareness of the purpose of the pause complements the idea of taking small steps to keep moving. Taking a positive break of fresh air, or a healthy snack or to move your body for a few minutes is a step sideways not backward. Sideways to keep moving forwards. Burnout is not a badge of honour. Pausing with purpose is what keeps us going for the long haul. The journey takes more time than arriving at the destination. We spend the majority of our lives journeying and so take the time to understand what brings quality to your journey.

Transformational Questions:

·      Am I grinding to a stop through exhaustion, am I running away from something or am I embracing a rest?

·      Do I feel guilty when I take a break? What is that telling me?

·      Set your intention. What is the purpose of the pause?

·      What boundaries do you place around it?

·      What mind chatter are you noticing when you take a break?

·      What positive thoughts can you use to support your well-being?

If you have found value in this blog, please share with your network. I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

If you would like to explore this further in a coaching context please contact Anna at digdeepdreambig@gmail.com