The Power of Pause

By Jasmine Pagano,
Wellness Program Supervisor at DLC Wellness Institute
at David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health

At a young age, many of us were taught the lesson of The Tortoise and the Hare: slow and steady wins the race. Yet as adults, we often live by a very different rule. We push ourselves to move faster, do more and fill every moment with activity.

Productivity becomes a measure of worth, and busyness becomes a badge of honor. The message seems clear: good is not good enough. Good must become better, and better must become best, as quickly as possible.

But what if this mindset is holding us back? Perhaps slowing down and moving at a more intentional pace is not a weakness but a strategy that can help us achieve better results. This idea is known as the paradox of pace. Slowing down with purpose allows us to become more focused, more creative and ultimately more productive.

Taking time to slow down can improve the quality of your work and your overall wellbeing. For example, when you pause to review a project carefully, you catch mistakes before they become larger problems. Slowing down to truly listen during a conversation strengthens trust and connection. Giving yourself permission to rest restores the energy needed to perform well. In these moments, slowing down does not delay success, it drives it.

Despite its benefits, slowing down can feel uncomfortable. We are conditioned to believe that constant motion equals progress. Pausing may feel unproductive or even lazy. In reality, it is a skill and can be one of the most powerful tools for long-term success.

Pauses allow your nervous system to reset, helping you shift from a reactive state to a thoughtful one. When you pause, you make better decisions, manage stress more effectively and respond instead of reacting.

Over time, these small moments of intention add up to greater clarity and improved performance. Ways to practice slowing down include:

The Doorknob Pause: Before opening a door – whether walking into a meeting, entering your home or starting a difficult conversation– pause for ten seconds. Take a breath and set an intention for how you want to show up. This brief pause can shift the tone of what follows.

The Five-Breath Rule: Before responding to an urgent email or stressful situation, take five slow, deep breaths. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. This helps calm the body and shifts the brain out of fight or flight mode, allowing for a more thoughtful response.

Transition Buffers: Build in five to ten minutes of space between meetings or major tasks. Instead of rushing to the next item on your list, use this time to mentally close one task before starting another. This practice reduces mental overload and improves focus.

The End-of-Day Reset: Spend the last five minutes of your day reflecting on what went well and identifying your most important task for tomorrow. Writing it down allows your mind to rest, knowing it will be addressed later.

Slowing down is not about doing less. It is about doing what matters most, better. When you create space to pause, you think more clearly, support healthier habits and more sustainable success. In a fast-paced world, choosing to slow down could become your greatest competitive advantage.

To learn more about the work DLC is doing to provide lifesaving and life-changing behavioral health care to those in need, visit DLCenters.org