The inspiration for this week’s Smart Bite is a book I read over the long Thanksgiving weekend, DO Pause, by Robert Boyton. The key message—there is more to life than getting things done—is important all year round, but it is especially appropriate now as we kick-off the holiday season. While Hanukkah and Christmas are a time of joy and celebration, they can also be stressful, in part because there is so much to do. We often bring on this stress ourselves, creating long to-do lists that must be meticulously executed.
The Wisdom of Pause
In his book, Boyton points out the goal isn’t to cram more into our lives, but rather, to get more out of life. Taking time to pause now and then creates an opening. It is a portal to other options and choices. A pause helps us rest and regenerate, become more creative, connect with other people or ourselves, or simply enjoy what is going on around us (or inside us.)
What Is a Pause?
A pause is relatively easy to understand, but harder to define. If you ask 10 different people what a pause is, you might get 10 different answers. Boyton defines it this way:
A pause is an opening which allows, enables, permits or invites all sorts of other possibilities. It allows something to happen which would otherwise not occur, and you never quite know what that will be.
Think of a pause as a welcome alternative to constant hurry, whether it is taking a few seconds to enjoy a beautiful tree or taking a few days off without electronics. “It is a quality of stopping that makes another kind of thinking possible,” says improvser Gary Hirsch.
Try a Pause Experiment
This week, without a lot of conscious effort, simply take note of when you pause and what the effect is. If you find yourself in a flurry of activity, see if there is a way to take a pause.
More on the DO Series
If you are looking for gift ideas or some good reads for yourself, consider the “DO” series of books, with thoughts on everything from improvising to sharing your story with the world.
