It’s been nearly a year since I walked into a plane to Goa, sat next to someone who was busy on her laptop, and then heard her say, “We both are speakers for the same event you know!”

Ridima Wali, the same leadership consultant and communication coach it is, who’s written this very powerful article on ‘pause’ and with her permission I’m reproducing it for you:

‘When was the last time you truly stepped away from your work not just physically, but mentally?
Ever found yourself staring blankly at your screen after hours of work, feeling like your productivity is slipping away? You are not alone.
In our grind to succeed, we often forget the power of the pause. Breaks can boost productivity, but it’s not just about the duration of the break; it’s about how you spend it.
While 97% of people default to scrolling through social media, research from the Harvard Business Review suggests that this habit can lead to emotional exhaustion rather than replenishment.
Science suggests that our brains aren’t designed for constant focus. Short breaks allow us to reset our mental energy, boosting creativity and cognitive function. That’s why even micro-breaks, as short as five minutes, can dramatically improve performance.
So, what can you do during a break?
– Take a walk to clear your mind, stretch to relieve tension, or practice mindfulness to reduce stress.
– Hydrate, enjoy a healthy snack or unwind with your favourite song.
– Avoid staring at your screen to prevent eye strain.
These small actions help you return to work refreshed and focused. Life is like a symphony, and in every great composition, the pauses between the notes are just as important as the notes themselves.
As you navigate the demands of work and life, remember to take those moments to pause. Sometimes, it’s in the stillness that the most profound insights emerge.’

Thank you Ridima, for your powerful insights into the value of taking a pause from whatever we are doing, and stressing never to use that ‘pause’ period to delve into our phones, which we were under the false assumption, provided us moments of tranquility.

Being a lover of classical music, I realise like how she pointed out, it’s the pauses that contribute towards a great composition. So true, because that pause before a rising crescendo, makes that next moment magnificent.

Even the scriptures talk about ‘being still’.

I end with this lovely poem by Elizabeth Cheney which used to hang in my childhood home:

Said the Robin to the Sparrow

“I should really like to know,

Why these anxious human beings

Rush around and worry so?”

Said the Sparrow to the Robin,

“Friend, I think that it must be

That they have no Heavenly Father

Such as cares for you and me.”

Press pause to prove the birds wrong..!

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