Overcoming Resistance To Pause
©
2005 Patricia Katz, Life Balance Strategist
When
I encourage entrepreneurs to give themselves permission to pause™, reactions vary. Some
folks embrace the idea with enthusiasm. It fits with their view of life and their everyday practice.
Others resist with every bone in their body.
When
I gifted a friend who owns several businesses with a keytag inscribed with the word PAUSE, she let me know she was offended
by the gift. She saw the suggestion as a criticism of her fast paced approach to life. It was only a few days later, after
she was tagged with a very expensive ticket for absentmindedly passing a police cruiser at an outrageous speed, that she acknowledged
there could be something to this idea of being present to the moment.
These
are some of the common beliefs that create resistance to the idea of pausing.
· Nonstop action is the only honorable approach to life and work. If you’re not doing
something productive every moment of the day, then you’re not worth much. You should always
be pushing forward, getting better, making progress. Standing still is sliding backwards. Climbing and struggling are good.
Sliding and coasting are bad and will put you out of business.
· If you just keep moving, you won’t have to deal with any of those pesky
doubts and irritations that rise to the top in moments of stillness. Move fast enough and all that messy anxiety about markets,
clients, and profitability will be left in the dust.
· It might be okay to treat yourself to a break as a special treat – but
just once in a while, not too often, and not too long. After all you’ve got to earn a ‘time off’. There are needs to meet, people to see, and bill to pay; and you won’t get there if you’re
sitting here.
· Your body will let you know when it’s time for a pause. You’ll catch
a cold, come down the flu, or sprain your ankle as you race down the steps. Or maybe you’ll be hit with an even bigger
wake up call – a bleeding ulcer or a heart attack. Till one of those things
happens, it’s safe to just keep running.
· If you take the time to pause, it will take too long to get up to speed again.
You can’t afford to slow down and lose momentum. You won’t be a player and you won’t win the race. Everybody
else will jump ahead of you.
· Your job is to set the pace for your staff. Everybody knows the pacesetter can’t
afford to take a break. If you take one, others will, too. Then, before you know it, nobody is getting anything done.
If
you find yourself caught in a nonstop frenzy of activity, challenge some of the beliefs that drive your practice.
See if one or more of these alternate views might help you shift gears.
· Accomplishment is not the only thing in life that matters. There is value in
the moment, the process and the experience as well as the outcome.
· You are more than your business and more than what you do. In a busy life, you
need to consciously carve out space and time to allow your own voice and original thoughts about who you are and who you could
be to rise to the top of your awareness.
· Everybody moves to the beat of a different drummer. You may be comfortable with
a different pace and tempo than those around you. Part of life’s challenge
is realizing and honoring your own needs and preferences and allowing others the same courtesy.
· The higher you climb the more difficult it can be to catch your breath. High
performance breeds even higher expectations. Before you know it, you may be caught in an upward spiral – more
clients, more sales, more awards - that makes pausing seem impossible. Do yourself a favour and model the way for those who
work with you. Pause to appreciate the view, celebrate success, and gather energy for the next leg of your journey.
· Races are won and lost through timing and pacing, not just momentum and speed.
Nonstop action doesn’t guarantee business or personal success. Strong timing and pacing require feedback,
evaluation and adjustments as you go. Pause to learn along the way.
· You can bet that ignoring regular maintenance and renewal will lead you to run
out of gas and crash – if not now, then soon. Taking time out for renewal is an investment in being able to sustain
the pace. Even Indy 500 racers make frequent pit stops.
Pause,
now, to think about it. It’s okay … really it is! In fact, it’s more than okay…it’s
essential to the health and well-being of both your body and your business!
If you find these insights of value and want help shifting to a healthier entrepreneurial lifestyle, check out the
Pause learning programs (live and electronic) at: http://www.pauseworks.com/programs/
