Do you need to slow down?

4/19/2021

I used to rush around like a typical Type-A personality.

After all, I was good at getting things done efficiently and fast.

Whenever I really got wound up, my good friend Allan Milham loved to make the comment: "Maybe you need to go slow to go fast."

At the time I trusted his judgement, but I never really "got it".

In time, I began taking more time to think and reflect.

Best-selling author Kevin Cashman calls this "pausing". This was a big change for me with surprising results.

Pausing quieted my inner chatter and helped me reconnect with my deeper thoughts. It allowed me to hear my inner voice.

When I paused, I began to listen more genuinely to others and contribute more generously in conversations and meetings.

If you find you often race around, consider some ways you can bring "pausing" into your work and life.

At the start of staff meetings, ask for a moment of silence and invite people to take a moment to breathe and collect their thoughts.
Regularly take time to write down your thoughts and reflect.
Practice daily meditation or simply sit still for a few minutes. Let your emotions and spirit catch up with you.
Retreat from your regular routine and commitments for a few hours (or even a few days) to walk in nature, sit by a lake or stream, listen to the breeze, watch the squirrels and birds, and just "be".

In my coaching work, I find one of the hardest things I ask of my clients is for them to take time out to pause or do reflective thinking.

Do you want to have more well-being, productivity, and creativity?

As counter intuitive as it may seem, stopping is the first step.

Taking 5-10 minutes to stop and sit quietly can help you relax, lower your stress level and gain clarity that will be amazingly useful.

Don’t be surprised if the first couple times you stop to pause and reflect, your mind goes crazy trying to convince you to get up and do something. That is normal for most people. As you continue to practice, your mind will eventually settle down.

You’ll feel less overwhelm and more in control. That will be well worth the 5-10 minute investment of your time!

Learning how to pause and reap the benefits of slowing down for a few minutes is something we work on in one on one coaching, team coaching and the Women Managers Leadership group.

If you are curious about how this technique can make a big difference for you, reply to this email.

Warm regards,