‘It’s not only moving that creates new starting points. Sometimes all it takes is a subtle shift in perspective, an opening of the mind, an intentional pause and reset, or a new route to start to see new options and new possibilities.’
Kristin Armstrong
Life and work dictate that we’re always moving, on to the next thing, and the next. Consider the calendar stacked with back to backs on Teams. For some there are days without a gap. Time and space to think may seem like a distant luxury. Is this reality or perception though?
Longer and obvious pauses are to be desired of course. Creating them in the pace of the working day may seem harder to achieve. Though we might remind ourselves that, mostly, we have a choice when it comes to our schedule.
Will booking a meeting with self, to reflect, think/rethink, reset enable us to bring greater value to the whole, our contribution to the world, than attending, by rote, that regular information download meeting? Yes, it can be a hard habit to break but surely worth developing the practice which may take us into the deeper, more meditative reflection that connects us to our intuition.
And it’s not just about big pauses. We should also consider the micro spaces in between our actions. They’re easier to miss as pauses and yet, if we’re intentional, that’s what they become.
I came across some emotional intelligence research recently that suggested it took only 90 seconds for us to change from reaction to response when our emotions are involved. Whether it’s 90 seconds, or likely longer, in that pause, especially where anger – anything from mild irritation to white hot rage – is the emotion we can choose our attitude to the situation and form our response. It’s likely to be far more productive than the instant reaction.
Being intentional about our pauses in any conversation gives time to gather and take care of our thoughts and the words we choose to express them so that we’re building connection and relationship not eroding them.
When we take time out, however miniscule, we’re giving space for something better to emerge and giving ourselves mastery in the moment.