In my world, the holiday season has a way of magnifying everything. Between Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday!), Christmas and New Year’s, the commitments and to-do list pile up fast. That time of year, work deadlines collide with my family responsibilities, as well as social events that crowd the calendar. On top of all of that, add my personal drive to end the year strong, and suddenly I am carrying more than I ever intended. Sound familiar? When my plate gets too full, I get cranky and I get overwhelmed, and that is exactly when I know I need to pause.
I give myself permission to pause, and it’s not about giving up. It is about stopping long enough to get clear on what is most important. When I allow myself to pause, I step back, look at everything in front of me, and ask: What truly needs my attention? What can be delegated? Where do I need to ask for help? How can I get creative with solutions instead of trying to power through on my own? That simple pause gives me space to reset and refocus.
What Does It Mean to Pause?
A pause is not laziness or weakness. It is an intentional leadership strategy. Pausing is choosing to create space before you respond or act. It is acknowledging that speed does not equal progress. It is giving yourself a moment to evaluate priorities before plowing ahead.
Cause and effect is the idea that every action produces a reaction. In leadership, this principle shows up in the choices you make under pressure. If you react automatically, the effect may be stress, conflict, or wasted effort. When you pause, you create space to choose a thoughtful response, and the effect is clarity, alignment, and stronger leadership. Pausing is the bridge that turns cause into a more intentional effect, and in leadership that difference can change outcomes for you and your team.
The Cost of Never Pausing
Too many leaders push through instead of pausing. They wear exhaustion like a badge of honor. They believe that slowing down will make them look weak or uncommitted. The truth is the opposite. Leaders who never pause make more mistakes, burn out faster, and create cultures of constant overwhelm.
When a leader models nonstop busyness, their team feels pressured to do the same. The message becomes clear: if you are not constantly busy, you are not valuable. Over time, that culture drains energy, stifles creativity, and leads to disengagement. A team that never pauses loses perspective on what really matters.
The Power of Pausing
When leaders give themselves permission to pause, they model clarity, boundaries, and resilience. They show their teams that it is okay to stop and think, to reset, and to prioritize. That single choice creates ripple effects in culture. Instead of frenzy, the norm becomes focus. Instead of overwhelm, the team sees alignment.
Think of the last time you hit pause before reacting. Maybe it was in a meeting when emotions ran high. Maybe it was at home when stress threatened to take over. That pause allowed you to step back, breathe, and choose a response that reflected your values instead of your frustration. That is leadership in action.
3 Practical Pause Practices
Here is a simple way to bring pausing into your day. When you feel overwhelmed, do a brain dump. Write down everything swirling in your head, personally and professionally, and get it all out on paper. Next, anything with a hard due date gets assigned that date and put on your calendar. From the remaining items, give each one an A, B, or C. A items are critical and need attention right away. B items are important but not as urgent. C items can wait. By making those decisions, you will see where your time and focus need to go.
Another simple option is to stop and ask yourself: What is most important right now? That answer changes from day to day or season to season. List out everything on your plate and see how it ties to what is most important. Often we discover that much of our energy is going toward things that are not truly aligned with our current priorities.
Another practice: At the end of a meeting or project review, insert a pause. Ask your team, “What did we learn? What needs to happen next? What can wait?” That moment of reflection can prevent wasted effort and clarify the path forward.
Reflection Exercise
This week, set aside five minutes for a pause. Write down everything you think you have to do. Circle the three things that matter most. For each remaining item, ask: Can I delay this? Can I delegate this? Can I drop this altogether? The clarity you gain from this short exercise can shift your entire week.
A Team Perspective
Leaders can normalize pausing by encouraging their teams to build it into their routines. Start a meeting with a short pause to set focus. End a meeting with a pause to reflect on priorities. Encourage team members to use pause language: “Let’s stop and think this through” or “Let’s pause before we decide.” These small actions build a culture where reflection is valued as much as action.
Pausing is a gift you can give yourself and your team. It creates the clarity you need to focus on what matters, the resilience to navigate busy seasons, and the space to lead with intention. Instead of pushing through the overwhelm, give yourself permission to pause.
