The Power of the Pause (Plus Ukulele!)

Pause. Rest. Sabbatical. Vacation.

Although our gogogo runrunrun produceproduceproduce society seems to think otherwise, the pause is critical to our well-being, our productivity, our happiness.

The writers of the Hebrew scriptures envisioned their God taking a break on the seventh day, after a huge creative push. Regardless of your opinion of that vision of Creation and Creator, you’ve got to admit the notion is a wise one.

We all need rest time.

Our bodies are wired to use more or less one third of our time on the planet engaged in rest and recharge (ie, sleep). Many of us resist this, and try to get away with less, but it rarely leads to greater health and happiness in the long run.

Music is a combination of notes and rest — it’s the spaces between the notes that give it shape, just as much as the notes themselves.

Calligraphers, typographers, graphic designers all understand the importance of white space to a pleasing design. Even the eye needs a chance to rest.

My ex-boyfriend used to quote an author (whose name escapes me) who referred to having “wide margins to his day.” That thought always sounds so lovely to me, who is usually runningrunningrunning, doingdoingdoing.

Launching my online course, Time to Glow, into the world involved even more nonstop doing than usual (building a membership site [read: technological gremlins galore], writing emails, writing blog posts, writing sales pages, creating course outlines, creating graphics, creating the curriculum).

No wonder I’ve needed a break!

Instead of my usual catch-up weekend (in which I attempt to catch up on all the work I didn’t get done during the week), I actually took time totally away from work! Not the entire weekend — I was back on my computer on Sunday — but Saturday I spent several hours in the City, with a friend, at a dinner gathering. And Sunday evening MB treated us to a hot tub, massages and dinner.

Oh, so appreciated, and oh, so needed.

In fact, my need for a sabbath has still not been adequately filled. I’m rolling back into my regular work pattern slowly and reluctantly.

Big projects (like product launches; or producing a concert, art show or CD; or writing a book; or building a website) take a lot out of a girl (or boy)!

Wise farmers let a field lie fallow every few years (seven, is it?) Human beings need time to charge up our metaphorical batteries, too.

Our world has sped up since our ancestors shared the planet with those early writers of scripture, but our bodies and spirits haven’t changed all that much.

When is the last time you gave yourself the gift of a pause?

PS — Pssst! Know someone who might benefit from seeing this today? Pass it on!