Why You Need to Press Pause Every Day

“Somebody help me, I can’t stop working…” This was a funny (and not so funny) Instagram post with a photo of one of my CEO clients cleaning carpets for a family member while on a vacation abroad – a service his company provides back in the states.

He hired me recently to help him learn how to slow down, enjoy his life more, and incorporate a better work-life balance. My client is not alone in the battle to take a break.

The inability to “stop working” is a common issue among driven entrepreneurs. A study by Passportphoto Online found almost 70% work on vacation due to the pressure to stay connected.

And this is not just a vacation issue, it happens all the time. If you resonate with this “always on” mentality, you probably find when you attempt to pause and disconnect for a few minutes, your mind spins with all the things you feel you “should” be doing.

To be your best self, with the work-life balance you crave and deserve, it’s important to take healthy breaks, to pause from your work – not just on vacation but as part of your everyday life.

In today’s blog, I am going to share with you why there is power in a daily pause and exactly how you can incorporate it in your life.

Why It’s Important to Press Pause Every Day 

Even though you are wired to achieve and may even be a bit proud of how much you can have on your plate and still feel “on top” of it, this is the path to burnout. My friend, it simply is not sustainable.

Pushing hard day after day and not stopping is akin to driving with your foot constantly on the gas pedal – there is a brake for a reason.

The problem with this constant working is it creates a position of chronic stress and overload on your body. Consider what happens when you push your body too hard in exercise and don’t give yourself enough recovery time. It leads to overuse injuries such as muscle pulls or strains, shoulder injuries, tendinitis, etc.

In a similar way, when you don’t have a balance of work and rest in your day-to-day life, the accumulated stress will make you more susceptible to serious health conditions such as gastrointestinal issues, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.

Your body and mind perform at their best when you have a balance between work and rest. Research shows when you give yourself time to pause it has all kinds of benefits:

• Reboots your brain and body 
• Facilitates the recovery process
• Improves your mood
• Boosts your creativity
• Enhances your performance
• Helps you concentrate
• Builds your immune system

Being Unproductive is Productive 

For several years now I have made a practice of taking a sabbatical, where I completely unplug for a few weeks, and it has made such a profound difference in my life.

But do you know what? I still find it hard to unplug.

During a purposeful sabbatical in 2021, I was seeking divine inspiration for what God was calling me to. And wow, was I impatient and restless. The time of “doing nothing” felt like a waste to me.

A pastor and mentor of mine reached out one day and I shared my struggle. I felt like I was in a messy middle between stepping down as CEO from my 25 years at the helm of a successful service company to the next big thing. I felt the calling to write another book and just wasn’t sure what was next.

He said something to me that really helped. “You are an achiever, Janelle. You are wired to always need to achieve something.” (Did he hit the proverbial nail on the head.) “So let me give you a goal.” Pastor Kim stated, “I want you to achieve rest.”

I appreciated this advice and learned that being unproductive is productive. By the time my sabbatical was over I was transformed with new energy and clarity for my future. If you would like to learn more about it, read my blog Sabbatical series, Why Sabbaticals Are Important: The Benefits of Taking a Break.

It is critical to your health and wellbeing to take periods of longer breaks like this, but it is equally important to incorporate a pause as a daily routine.

How to Incorporate a Daily Press Pause 

Recently I took a small group of entrepreneurs through my 21 Day Life RESET program, where I teach the practice of a daily pause. One of my members said this after the course:

“Wow. I need to pause, take time every day, and stop the busy-ness that’s prevented me from being present.”

It takes intention to create a daily “pause” habit, but you can do it. Here’s is a 5 Step Plan to Press Pause Every Day.

1. Decide When You Will Press Pause. One of the reasons you may not be having success with taking a break is you are trying to just “fit it in” your already busy schedule.

Rather than telling yourself you will do a daily pause when it works, choose to make a commitment that you will take a quiet time for yourself each day.

Consider how long you are going to dedicate to this practice. I recommend 20 minutes or more and for purposes of this teaching that is what I will use.

However, if you are just starting out don’t let the pressure of a certain time frame keep you from this practice. Even 5-10 minutes will make a noticeable difference in your mindset.

2. Make Your Pause the Same Time Every Day. Choose a time each day when you will take 20 minutes for yourself by yourself. To build this practice into a daily habit that sticks, make your mindful Pause the same time each day.

I find that the early morning before I get into my day is the best time for me to have a quiet time. Because I already have a Morning Success Ritual that is part of my every day, it made sense for me to add my quiet time here. In my 20 minutes I meditate, journal my thoughts, and set my daily intention.

Is there a better time of day for you? One of my clients likes to take a few minutes to herself before her kids get out of school; another likes her quiet time before bed at night. It doesn’t matter when it is, just that you do it consistently.

3. Build your Press Pause Alongside Another Daily Routine. If you don’t already have a routine quiet time in the morning, think of what else you are doing every morning where you could tag this on. James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, calls this habit stacking.

As an example: Wake up, brush teeth, get coffee, Press Pause.

If your pause time is in the evening you could have a ritual such as: Clean up kitchen, make cup of tea, Press Pause, prepare for bed.

The act of attaching a new positive habit to an already existing one will make it that much easier to become a routine part of your day.

4. Make Your Press Pause Time Motivating. Remember that your Pause is a special time for you to take a break and have a few minutes to yourself to breathe and reset.

As a high achiever, you may find it difficult at first to not make this another productivity time. Remember that these quiet moments are not meant to plan out your day, organize your schedule or make another to-do list. Instead, its purpose is to allow your mind to rest and your body to relax.

Think about this: When you do have a few quiet moments to yourself what inspires you and lifts you up? Is it journaling, prayer time, or meditating? Pick your favorite and incorporate it in your Pause.

As you keep up with your pause routine you will find it is something you look forward to.

5. Keep It Up No Matter What. You have made the decision to build a daily Press Pause habit. Now you need to keep your commitment, undoubtedly the hardest part.

It is helpful, as it is with any new habit, to set up an accountability plan to stick with it. Here are a few ideas:

• Put a time block in your calendar. 

• Set up a notification on your phone.

• Share your goal with a coach or friend

• Give yourself a reward for keeping your habit for a certain time period - 1 week; 2 weeks; 30 days.

Recognize up front there will be days that something happens and you miss your Pause. The key here is to let it go and pick up again the next day.

It takes intention, commitment, and work to create a Press Pause habit but once you do you will be glad you did. Take this 5 step plan and get started today, and watch what a positive difference it makes in your life.