
Did you know we perform best and are most productive when we alternate between periods of intense focus and periodic revitalisation, aka pausing?
I’ve valued pausing for a while but have not always felt able to put it into action. Pausing can be a magical reset for me, especially if I take it in nature or outdoors, whatever the weather. It can soothe and settle me in minutes and enhance my creative problem solving, like nothing else, but I live in a bustling city, so finding a quiet space is sometimes a problem and justifying the time can be equally challenging.

I’ve felt this way for a long time. I became acutely sound and noise sensitive after a head injury but haven’t always done it regularly, but the world isn’t going to get less noisy anytime soon, so finding simple ways to quiet down to avoid overwhelm is crucial.
This magnificent magnolia tree is just a five-minute skip away, so it’s possible to eke out space and time even in the busiest schedule and noisiest city to sit, pause, reflect and reset while gazing at its incredible blooms.
Pausing and being still and quiet is well researched; it promotes relaxation by giving our nervous system a chance to regain balance and feel refreshed and re-energised.
How do you renew during the day?