“Almost everything  
will work again if you 
unplug it for a few minutes, 
including you.”
Anne Lamott

I published my first book, A Moment’s Pause for Gratitude, in October 2017. Since that time, I have come to the realization that, while such a pause in our day has tremendous value, there are other reason for us to pause, as well.

It’s so easy to get caught-up in the rat race of life. Meetings, commitments, chores, and the myriad tasks of everyday life have a way of monopolizing our most precious gift — time. This can deprive us of opportunities to give thoughtful consideration to other aspects of life, as well.  Here are a few thoughts about this.

As we experience the joys and sorrows, peaks and valleys of each day, we most certainly could benefit from a moment’s pause for reflection to allow us to process what’s happening in and around us.

Our world is filled with the words and actions of others which can provide motivation for us to put forth an extra effort in our work, our relationships, or to be helpful to those in need. For this reason, we might consider incorporating a moment’s pause for inspiration. Only by taking such time can we allow the words and actions of others truly inspire us to be better than we are.

It’s been said many times that relationships with family and friends are like gardens, requiring constant care and attentiveness. Yet many people seem to be convinced that they simply don’t have time for this. The demands of our jobs and everyday life can seem overwhelming at times. A moment’s pause for nurturing now and then might be beneficial to us and to those around us.

I mentioned the gift of time. Yes, it’s precious. It’s also limited. No matter who we are, we are given exactly 1,440 minutes each day to take care of business… and ourselves. Because of this, it’s easy for us to be frustrated by people and situations which interfere with all the important things we need to do each day. A moment’s pause for patience would serve us well.

I don’t laugh enough. I’m hard-pressed to explain why. I don’t consider myself to be overly-serious, yet it’s a rare occasion when someone or something causes me to burst out in a good belly-laugh. It’s well-documented that laughter offers significant physical, mental, and social health benefits by reducing stress, boosting mood and immunity levels, and strengthening relationships. A moment’s pause for laughter would be a nice addition to each day.

Stress levels in the United States are high and rising, driven by factors such as economic uncertainty, political division, health concerns, and misinformation. The importance of scheduling time each day to take a moment’s pause for calm is imperative for those seeking to live a healthy life.

There are countless additional factors for which a pause in our day would be beneficial to us, and to those around us. We might consider a moment’s pause for affection, prayer, humility, courage, kindness, curiosity, empathy, focus, and generosity. Such pauses must be intentional. In most cases, they won’t happen by chance.  

We can all be encouraged by the words of Michael Altshuler, who wrote, “The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.”