For many of us, activity and noise consume the greater part of our modern workdays.
We hustle through our to-do lists, rush from meeting to meeting, and wear busyness as a badge of honor.
This doing mode may keep the wheels turning, but according to research by Megan Reitz and John Higgins, authors of “Speak Out, Listen Up,” it’s also keeping us from our best thinking, healthiest relationships, and most meaningful work. So what’s missing?
Pausing.
Reitz and Higgins argue that alongside doing mode, we must cultivate what they call spacious mode — a mindset that allows us to slow down, zoom out, and engage more fully with the complexity and creativity life demands.
In spacious mode, we’re not reacting out of stress, but responding with intention. It’s in these moments where breakthrough ideas, clarity, and connection emerge.
But making space to pause isn’t easy. So how can you shift from doing mode to spacious mode?
Give yourself permission to pause. Challenge the belief that pausing is lazy or unproductive. It’s good for you.
Train your mind to pause. Use small daily practices, like prayer, meditation, and breathing to pause, center, and calm. These moments build the habit of slowing down, even in the middle of your day.
Make it safer and easier to pause. Ask bold, thoughtful questions in meetings. Change your scenery. Schedule micro-breaks in your calendar. You don’t have to announce you’re stepping into spacious mode, just find stealthy ways to create it.
Keep good company. Spend time with people who reflect, question, and listen deeply. Their presence helps normalize and nurture this shift.
Getting stuff done is still essential, to be sure. And pausing isn’t a retreat from work, it’s a different kind of work. One that helps us see further, think better, and lead more effectively.
So, remember, when you give yourself permission to pause, you give others permission, too. And while it may not seem like a critical change, it might just be the most courageous act of leadership and self-management there is in today’s frenetic environment.
Have a great week-
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