Article originally published on LinkedIn, June 2, 2022
Pausing is the new productivity; it contributes to increased clarity, greater appreciation for the work you do and higher levels of overall job satisfaction.
If you skip breakfast, work through lunch and rapidly tick off tasks until you collapse at the end of the day, you’re being super productive, right? I used to think so! In our rapid-fire world that seems to demand we move faster, multi-task and do more to be effective, it seems wildly counterproductive to press the pause button.
As counterintuitive as it seems, pausing contributes to increased clarity of thought, greater appreciation for the work you’ve done and even higher levels of productivity and overall job satisfaction.
There’s Power in the Pause
An Indeed survey found that remote workers tend to work longer hours and 60% of them take fewer breaks now than pre-pandemic. We sometimes need to be reminded that we’re human beings, not human doings.
Instead of working to maintain a breakneck pace, practice productive pausing or stopping work for a brief break to improve your productivity and effectiveness. A pause can last a few minutes or longer. You can simply be still or experiment with a power nap, snack, shower, exercise or walk in nature.
Pausing interrupts our habit of non-stop doing. Unfortunately for too many, gone are the days when people actually take an hour for lunch. According to a Robert Half (a talent solutions and business consulting firm) study, more than half of employees take a daily lunch break (30 minutes or less), and 29% confessed to working through lunch. It’s gobble and go!
However, if you hurry through lunch or skip it entirely to work on a project or meet tight deadlines, you’ll likely be less effective than if you embraced the power of a pause. It only takes a moment to take a few deep breaths, reflect — or even better, empty your mind — to improve your concentration and energy at work.
Pause for Purpose
Now raise the bar. Imagine how unexpected, yet refreshing, it would be if your manager mindfully dedicated time during a team meeting for team members to reflect and have the option to share how they’ve contributed to the company’s purpose.
Considerable research shows employees who work in purpose-led companies are 93% more engaged and two times more likely to stay. With the pandemic prompting so many employees to reflect on what is truly important to them and to reevaluate their work, now is the perfect time to Pause for Purpose — to ensure employees understand the value of their work.
At Cox, we have an incredibly inspiring purpose: Empower People Today To Build A Better Future for the Next Generation.
Recently, in different parts of the business, we’ve started to Pause for Purpose. There’s no formal program or specific time or frequency to pause. There’s no right or wrong way to do it. It’s entirely voluntary and completely up to each team to bring it to life in any way they choose.
I can say from personal experience it’s fulfilling to think about how I’ve contributed in a small way to something bigger than myself, even bigger than my team. Pause for Purpose creates the space for that to occur.
Pausing is Mindfulness in Action
Your mental wellbeing is as important as your physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. So, stop. Take a breath. Take another. One more. Now, step away from the tasks at hand and think about what you’ve done or want to do to make your organization stronger and the world a better place for a customer, a colleague or your community.