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The Romans called it interruptio. The Buddhists call it “the sacred pause.”
Today, we might just call it survival.
The most powerful leaders I’ve coached share one secret: they know when to stop.
In our fast-moving world, the greatest luxury isn’t money or status. It’s time. Not endless hours, but a single moment. A pause. The kind we rarely allow ourselves to take.
Interruptio was a deliberate pause in Roman public life, a reset before moving forward. It wasn’t laziness. It was wisdom: clarity often arises not from constant doing, but from the still space in between. We could all use a little of the same.
The Cost of Never Pausing
Many in leadership positions describe their lives as a sprint that never ends: back-to-back meetings, overflowing inboxes, constant notifications demanding instant replies.
They’re moving fast, but not always in the right direction.
One coaching client said to me, “I make decisions so quickly that sometimes I don’t even know if they’re mine. It feels like I’m on autopilot.” Another confessed, “By the time I finish my day, I can’t even remember half the things I agreed to.”
Without pause, motion is mistaken for progress. Busyness is mistaken for purpose. Leadership is less about doing more, and more about leading with intention.
The Sacred Pause
The pause costs nothing. No app, workshop, or retreat required. It asks only for courage: the courage to stop, breathe, and notice.
Buddhist teacher Tara Brach calls this “the sacred pause,” a deliberate interruption of habitual patterns. A pause before reacting. A pause before deciding. A pause that lets wisdom catch up with us.
Marcus Aurelius, a Roman emperor and philosopher, wrote:
“If you are troubled by external things, it is not they that disturb you, but your own judgment of them. And it is in your power to wipe out that judgment now.”
That tiny space between stimulus and response is where we reclaim our freedom to choose.
How We Can Pause
Pauses can be woven into everyday moments:
>> Before Responding: Step away from that email that sparks a strong reaction. Return later with clarity instead of reaction.
>> Before Deciding: In meetings, pause for two minutes. Let silence stretch. Decisions become sharper and wiser.
>> Before Entering: Pause at the threshold of a room. One breath, one intention, and you arrive grounded.
>> Before Speaking: Let silence hang for a heartbeat after someone finishes. It communicates respect and often reveals insight.
>> Before Ending: Close the day with a pause: a minute of gratitude, reflection, or simply noticing you are more than your to-do list.
When those in leadership positions model pausing, others follow.
One of my clients trialled opening her team meetings with 60 seconds of silence. At first, it was awkward. People fidgeted. But over time, the silence became cherished. “It’s the only minute in my day when I get to breathe,” one team member said. And from that breath, the team became more thoughtful, collaborative, and kind.
What looks like “wasting time” actually saves time. It prevents missteps, strengthens relationships, and roots leadership in wisdom rather than haste.
Mini-Pauses We can All Try Today
>> The Threshold Pause: Before entering a room or call, pause at the doorway, literal or virtual. Take one slow breath. Ask: How do I want to show up? Then step in intentionally.
>> The Two-Breath Reset: When stress rises, pause for two conscious breaths. Inhale deeply, exhale slowly. Often all it takes is two breaths to shift you from reaction into presence.
>> The Gratitude Pause: At day’s end, place a hand on your heart, breathe once, and name one thing you’re grateful for. Carry that note into your evening.
The Romans used interruptio to step back from public chaos. Marcus Aurelius paused to master his own mind. Modern leaders can pause to reclaim agency in a culture that demands constant acceleration.
The pause is free, but invaluable. Every pause is a quiet rebellion against the myth that faster is always better. Every pause is a chance to return to yourself, to choose with intention, to lead with wisdom.
So next time you feel yourself rushing into the next task, try this: Stop. Take a breath. Let silence speak for just a moment.
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