The Pause Principle

Lots of gardening after a busy travel week last week.  Leeks, squash, basil, tomatoes, beets, carrots, parsnips, beans all abound.  You know the harvest is plentiful when you think it takes too long to harvest tomatoes.

I included the shoe in the photo to give perspective to the squash.  Not positive I should become a professional photographer.   And not sure how big the market is for vegetable photographers.

I read a great book - The Pause Principle - Step Forward to Lead Forward by Kevin Cashman.   I love the principle and have for a long time.  Basically - step back and pause to gain efficiency and for true clarity.

As a time management guy, I have spent much time studying and honing my efficiency systems.  Much of this efficiency is based on "never waste a minute".  So I deliberately think of how I can reduce the gaps and fill them with productive tasks.

The Pause Principle challenges that constant motion and activity.  Some of our greatest creativity and problem solving (which is often our highest value) can happen by Pausing.  Stop and relax, deliberate and solutions will flow.

I think subconsciously I knew I needed this pause for productivity so I built in a few activities that involve pause.  For me, exercise and gardening are two pause activities.  True pause would be to break without having to do anything.

The book is simply a reminder with the research to back it up and the ideas on how to implement the Pause.

I now need to think of the pause as a productivity tool.  I do not think of myself as old but do notice my energy is less than when I was younger.  My sense is over time, I will need to evolve a different pace and work style.

Good book - good reminder to me.