The Pause Button

In our busy clinical lives where every moment counts there is a powerful tool that often gets overlooked - the pause button. Amidst the daily mounting pressures of appointments, treatments, surgeries, emergencies, and record keeping, we often forget about the pause button and how it can positively shift our day. When was the last time you took a mindfulness pause instead of plowing through to the next case and pushing that familiar overdrive button? Even Formula One drivers make frequent pit stops during a race. It seems counterintuitive, but that pause to change tires or refuel is often the difference between success and failure.  We think that getting through our huge caseload in record time will bring us the relief we are seeking- but that is a lie we tell ourselves. If we are honest, days spent with our thumb on the overdrive button leave us out of gas and stressed.

Our profession celebrates production, efficiency, hard work, and dedication. These become our success mantra - but our days are not meant to be a flat-out blur of Brownian motion. A deliberate professional pause, taking time to disconnect and step off the treadmill when making a major decision, or calculating a drug dose, will allow you to: refocus, observe what is going on around you, reprioritize what you are doing, and check in with yourself.

You can take a personal pause as well. How many days do you eat lunch while multitasking or skip it altogether? A personal pause provides a moment of respite before jumping back into the challenge waiting in the next room.

Try it for yourself. An intentional pause here and there to start. What do you notice when you quieten the noise? What does it feel like to think about yourself; your needs, and your mental health? Pausing is not taught in schools nor is it known as a prerequisite for success. You can use the pause button right now.  By slowing down on purpose you may find that you become more productive, less stressed, can set mindful boundaries, and still have a little gas in your tank at the end of your day.

Who knows, you might even have lunch. 

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