“Spending time doing nothing often makes everything come into focus.” ~ Doe Zentamata
I’ve always been that person who can’t seem to slow down. Overachievers? That’s putting it mildly. In every aspect of my life—work, relationships, personal goals—I’ve always pushed myself to the absolute limit. It’s like I have an inner drive that never stops.
At work, I’m always the first one in and the last one out. expiration date? I would meet them a few days in advance. Project? Even if my plate is full, I will voluntarily eat more. Don’t even get me started on my personal life. Whether it’s fitness goals, learning a new skill, or maintaining a relationship, I approach everything with the same intensity.
I set these incredibly high standards for myself and I don’t want to fall short. The thought of not being able to live up to my own expectations made me feel a knot in my stomach and my anxiety was at its peak. I persevere, always push, always push, and never let myself rest.
As for motivation, once I make up my mind to do something, there is no turning back. I will make these strict plans and stick to them. It doesn’t matter if I’m exhausted or if life throws me a curveball. Even during the toughest periods of burnout in my life, I stayed strong through it.
Looking back, I realize I was too strict on myself. It’s not just about avoiding certain behaviors or sticking to my goals. It was this strict, almost punitive approach to everything. I had this idea that if I didn’t keep moving forward, I would fall behind.
Being strict to the core sounds admirable, but let me tell you, it comes at a cost. Sometimes I would lie awake at night thinking about all the things I needed to do and all the goals I had yet to achieve. Relaxation is a foreign concept. Taking a break feels like failure.
It’s fun, you know. People often tell me to relax and give myself a break. But in my opinion, this is just an excuse for mediocrity. I can’t fathom the idea of not giving 110% to everything I do.
Little did I know, this relentless drive was setting off alarm bells for me. But that’s the thing about being great—you don’t realize you’re burning at both ends until, well, there’s no candle left to burn.
It wasn’t until I forced myself to take a step back that I realized this cycle of constantly proving myself was taking a toll on my mental health. I remember a specific moment when I felt completely overwhelmed by my endless to-do list and expectations that would never be met no matter what. Instead of pushing through like I normally would, I decided to take a break.
As the saying goes: We need to step back and look at the bigger picture. As humans, we have tunnel vision. Taking a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life made me realize what I’d been missing.
I realized that my worth is not defined by perfection, but by my ability to exist, find joy in my journey, and be kind to myself. I personify myself into these characters. Great friendships and good mentoring helped me realize what pause really means.
I always go above and beyond to prove to everyone around me that I, too, am capable of great things. But that thought stopped when I stopped to think about how to live up to their expectations of a better life.
So, did I stop doing everything?
No, absolutely not; there is a difference between stopping doing everything in your life and taking a break. Pausing is not about stopping or procrastinating. It’s about creating space—to breathe, reflect, and gain perspective. Ironically, it is in those quiet moments that we often find the clarity and inspiration to move forward with greater purpose and achievement.
What exactly happened when I paused?
When I started to put my life on hold, I realized a few things:
Clear pictures: Pausing allowed me to look at my life and gain a clear perspective on what was really going on. It made me look at my problems from a different perspective.
Key points: Even though I value everything around me, the constant cycle of grinding and working keeps me from focusing on what I really need to study. Pausing shifts my focus from pleasing others to the person I want myself to be.
healthy: How many times have we eaten what we had on hand when we were hungry and then regretted our choice of food? Being more focused on my life has made me want to look at my food choices and exercise habits differently. This change has had a good impact on my health.
pressure: When I started resting, I got great stress relief; no, it was great! Stress is something that everyone encounters in their lives today. I bet you can’t find a person who doesn’t have stress in their life. (Even the rich face stress about how to better invest their money.) A little pause from the stress that comes next would be good for everyone in life, not just me.
Energy level: Indeed, energy levels are boosted after a well-earned break from any routine. My positive energy is high in dopamine; I have clear goals about what I want to do. I feel motivated to do things I would have put off if I hadn’t realized I should have paused.
Better job: There are two types of people: those who want to take a break before doing great work, and those who can only take a break after doing great work. (That’s an Instagram emoji, by the way.) No matter which category you fall into, you need a break to perform at your best. I have observed that I am more productive after a good coffee break. That’s when my creativity was at its peak.
How do I incorporate pauses into my life?
You might be thinking, “I don’t have time to stop. My time is precious. Like most people in life, I’ve struggled with this statement at one time or another. Pausing doesn’t have to mean losing your job and giving up all the things you normally do. , starting something new is so big.
meditation: It can be as simple as a ten-minute mindfulness meditation session. All you have to do is breathe and release cortisol out of your body.
exercise: If you are someone who doesn’t like to sit still, you can go for a walk or run. A quick adrenaline pump to get you energized. Research shows that your energy levels remain the same even one hour after exercise.
Work break time: If you’re working a lot, take a five-minute break to maintain your flow. You can also practice the Pomodoro Technique, which one of my mentors taught me. It involves working for twenty-five minutes, followed by a five-minute break.
How do I recognize the signs that I need to pause?
Interestingly, our bodies and minds have ways of telling us when we need to slow down. It’s like they’re waving a red flag, trying to get our attention. I started noticing these little signs appearing more and more.
Sometimes I wake up feeling like I ran a marathon in my sleep: completely exhausted, with a heavy head and extremely tight shoulders. I couldn’t focus on any of my tasks. It was as if my brain decided to go on an unplanned vacation without notifying me.
Emotionally? Let’s just say I didn’t win any “happiest person” awards. I find myself throwing tantrums over the smallest things and getting anxious about things that wouldn’t normally bother me. People around me are always walking on eggshells. It’s like my emotional fuse has been shortened.
Then there are behavioral changes. Suddenly, I became the queen of procrastination, putting off tasks that I would normally tackle head-on. My coffee consumption went through the roof. I mean, how else am I supposed to function?
It took me a while to realize that these signs all pointed to one thing: I desperately needed a time-out.
But here’s the thing: taking a break isn’t just about lying on the couch and blazing away (although sometimes that’s exactly what we need). It’s about creating an environment that truly recharges you.
I start by organizing my space. You’ll be surprised how clear your thinking can become with just a little tidying up. I carved out a small corner of my home that became my “timeout zone”—no work allowed, just pure relaxation.
Setting boundaries can be a game changer. I had to train my family and friends to understand that when I was in the pause zone, it was like there was an invisible “Do Not Disturb” sign hanging above my head.
I kinda like it too. I started using some lavender essential oil (which, it turns out, actually helps you relax) and discovered this great nature sounds playlist. There’s nothing like the gentle sound of ocean waves to make you forget about your full inbox, right?
The point is, creating a space that encourages you to pause doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s about finding something that helps you relax and making it a part of your daily routine. Because, let’s face it, we all need those moments to step back, take a breath, and remind ourselves that the world won’t fall apart if we just take a break from time to time.
I’ve also come to realize that taking a break doesn’t always mean jetting off to some exotic location or spending a fortune on a lavish vacation. Sometimes, the most effective pauses are the small pauses we make in our daily lives.
This can be as simple as changing your morning routine, such as taking a different route to work or sipping coffee on the porch instead of rushing out the door. Maybe it’s taking ten minutes to practice mindfulness before bed, or a quick walk around the block during your lunch break.
These brief pauses, these small changes in our daily patterns, are like reset buttons for our brains. They give us a chance to step back, even just for a moment, and look at our lives from a slightly different perspective.
Often, it’s these small, consistent breaks that make the biggest difference. They remind us that pausing is not about escaping life, but about being more present in it. So the next time you feel overwhelmed, remember: meaningful breaks don’t have to be big. Sometimes, the smallest pause can provide the best perspective.
About Muwafik
Muwafic is a content writer and SEO apprentice interning at GABA Telepsychiatry. Her goal is to take ideas and turn them into rich and interesting content. If you are curious about mental health or want to explore some treatment options, check out her page. Read her content if you want to learn more about mental illnesses like depression, anxiety, and parental alienation.
