Permission to pause

Pausing to enjoy nature and beauty

Our society values doing over being. We need courage to give ourselves permission to pause. When we pause, we can step back and gain perspective.

Kris, a CEO, needed to slow down. His doctor had warned he would be dead in the next two years if he didn’t transform his demanding lifestyle. In our first meeting he arrived looking tense: breathing hard, his jaw clenched. He spoke at top speed about shareholder pressures and the need to achieve strong business results.

We worked together for a while; eventually he relaxed enough to identify what he wanted to change  by the end of our coaching engagement. His drive towards short-term financial success had blinded him to the damage it was causing to him and his teams’ wellbeing.

As the CEO he had to take responsibility for his teams. As a person he had to take responsibility for himself. But how was he going to change? Trusting my vast coaching experience, he agreed to an experiment. He would take regular short pauses every day. For him it was important that the pauses be varied: sometimes just leave his office and chat with staff, at other times, go outside and stroll in the park.  

Several sessions later I was surprised to see him bounce into the room, keen to share his new experiences. His courage to try something new and commit to pausing had paid off. He’d taken short walks in the neighbourhood, read books in the sunshine, and journalled in a coffeeshop.

When I asked what insights he’d gained, Kris admitted that before we met, he’d been on a treadmill. He hadn’t known how to step off, so at first it was difficult to justify pausing. However, the doctor’s warning supported his commitment to go through with the experiment.

‘Nowadays, a pause from routine is just as important as a good cup of coffee,’ he said with a smile.  He recognised that after integrating pauses into his daily routine he returned refreshed to the task at hand, focusing on his people rather than only the financials.  

When I asked what else had changed, he shared that business results had never been so good and morale among the leadership team had lifted. He reported he was also having regular casual conversations with staff. And he was often home in time to read a bedtime story to his children.

How else can we pause?

Pausing is simple and individual. It can be whatever we chose it to be. It may involve conscious breathing, focusing on our thoughts, a walk in nature, or simply getting up from the screen to make a cup of tea. It is allowing oneself to shift mentally and physically. The important thing is to engage in a positive, life-affirming moment. And when we consciously acknowledge the pause, we find it easier to reach our inner calm and recentre ourselves.

If you want a conversation about how coaching can help you to slow down and gain fresh thinking, just drop me a line.