A recent blog post by Lolly Daskal reminds me of how much in our time we spend “doing” tasks. But are they the right tasks? Is there a better way?
To answer these questions we need to take a step back from “doing” to reflect, or as Kevin Cashman says in his new book, The Pause Principle, to pause.
It is through these pauses that we gain perspective and an understanding of the bigger picture. We break out of old habits, and unleash the creative forces within us to discover new and creative solutions.
When I need to raise the bar on my leadership, I frequently turn to meditation, and in particular to a great creativity meditation available on YouTube. In just eight minutes, my mind reboots. Instead of being cluttered, I feel a new freshness and vitality. I feel a sense of confidence and am at peace with the knowledge that I will discover what I need to discover; to learn what I need to learn.
When I return to my tasks, I immediately feel the effect of this brief pause. There is new energy and focus. Obstacles turn into opportunities; pitfalls into productivity.
Some might say that they are too busy to take eight minutes out of their day. But, what is the value of a new breakthrough idea? Some would say, “priceless.”
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