It’s easy to get caught up in the momentum of life and feel like you don’t have time to pause. But it’s important to challenge this feeling and incorporate this essential skill into your life. When you do, you will discover that it will actually help you be more productive, perform better, and enjoy life a whole lot more.
Often the hardest part is just remembering to pause. Here are a couple of suggestions that can help:
- Instead of scheduling appointments back to back, actually schedule in “a meeting with yourself” a few times a day.
- You can set a timer or search for functional apps for your computer, phone, or watch that chime once an hour, and use it as a mindfulness bell that reminds you to pause or take a break.
Once you have remembered to pause, what you do with it can be really simple: various breath exercises, doing a shakeout, taking a long lunch, or unplugging from digital devices for a day. What matters most is that we install the healthy habit of doing it regularly.
P.E.A.C.E. is a simple five-step process that will help you do just that.
Pausing for Greater P.E.A.C.E. in Your Life
P: Pause for a moment + break free from the momentum of being in “go” mode.
E: Exhale. Take a couple of deep breaths, bringing your attention to the feeling of your breath coming in and going out.
A: Acknowledge how you are at this moment. Mindfully check in with your three centers—body, heart, and head. How are you physically? Emotionally? Mentally?
C: Choose. Based on your 3-Center Check-in referenced above, choose how you are going to care for yourself. What would be helpful and nourishing right now? 4,8 breathing? A five-minute guided meditation? A Mindful Walk? A short nap? A shower or bath? Something playful? Calling a friend? A healthy snack? Other?
E: Engage in following through on giving that gift to yourself.
