Summary: When the world feels heavy — and violence, injustice, and grief are daily realities — taking a moment to pause may feel small, or even impossible. But pausing is one of the most powerful leadership tools we have. In this blog, LifeLabs Learning’s founder, Tania Luna, shares why intentional pauses are essential: for reflection, for bias reduction, and for human connection. You’ll learn how to create space for yourself and your team, especially during collective trauma, and how slowing down is sometimes the most strategic thing you can do.
As of 2025, the workplace is still shaped by compounding global stressors:
Racial injustice.
Climate anxiety.
Political polarization.
According to Gallup, 76% of employees say they feel emotionally exhausted at work, and more than half report that their organization does not provide time to reflect or decompress.
Pausing is not passive. It’s a conscious leadership move that increases clarity, reduces reactivity, and supports equity. As athletes, activists, and entire organizations have shown, choosing to pause can change systems.
You have the power to create space for your team to pause. You have the power to give permission to the employees in your organization to pause. Here’s how (and why) to do it:
Pause to reflect
Many people are grieving for the casualties of violence, even those who look like they’re functioning professionally. Grief researcher David Kessler reminds us that the normal human response to crisis is slowing down. Kessler says:
“Your work is to feel your sadness and fear and anger, whether or not someone else is feeling something. Fighting it doesn’t help because your body is producing the feeling. If we allow the feelings to happen, they’ll happen in an orderly way, and it empowers us. Then we’re not victims.”
Action: Whether you’re grieving or just feeling overwhelmed, block out blank thinking time at the start or end of your day to process your thoughts and feelings with meditation, writing, art, or just having no digital distractions. Take micro, meso, and macro breaks (e.g., 30 seconds looking away from the screen, an afternoon stroll with no Zoom calls, or a few days off) and encourage others to do the same.
Pause to reduce bias
Stanford psychologist Jennifer Eberhart trains police departments on how to reduce racial bias. When we’re anxious, scared, or upset, our biases go into overdrive. Eberhart has found that adding friction in decision-making mitigates this reaction. In her book Biased, she writes:
“Practice adding friction to our own lives by interrogating ourselves and slowing ourselves down….There is hope in the sheer act of reflection. This is where the power lies and how the process starts.”
Action: Before making a decision, consider seeking the perspectives of others with different backgrounds. (The bigger the decision, the more perspectives it helps to gather, being particularly attentive to the perspectives of those who will be impacted by the decision). In our Strategic Thinking workshop, we teach managers to slow down and think through the unintended consequences before taking action.
Pause to connect
Feminist scholar and activist Grace Lee Boggs reminds us, “movements are born of critical connection, not critical mass.”
Critical connection requires time to talk, to connect, and to understand the pain of those around us. We need to pause to hold space for those who are suffering most, for those whose lives are at risk. And we need to be reminded that we are not alone.
Action: Follow the “Check-in before Check-on” rule. Take a moment in every meeting and 1-1 to prioritize the mental and emotional health of your fellow humans before you transition to tasks. When team members speak up about how they’re feeling, ‘hold space’ by letting them share their thoughts and feelings.
Pause as a leadership practice
If you’re reading this thinking, “I don’t need to pause, I need to speed up!” think about who else on your team might need a pause. Who might need the opportunity to walk off the court, to take a morning, or to just slow down and think?
Go slow today so we can go fast tomorrow, and the next day, and the next.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is pausing important for leaders?
Pausing allows leaders to reflect, regulate emotions, and model inclusive behaviors. It helps teams avoid reactivity and make more thoughtful, equitable decisions.
How does pausing reduce bias?
When we’re under stress, we rely on cognitive shortcuts, which can reinforce bias. Taking time to slow down — and intentionally seek multiple perspectives — reduces the likelihood of acting on bias.
What does it mean to ‘hold space’ for others?
Holding space means allowing others to express themselves without judgment or interruption. It builds trust, psychological safety, and emotional resilience within teams.
Is pausing unproductive in fast-paced environments?
No. Teams that pause before key decisions are more likely to innovate, reduce errors, and increase inclusion.
How can I build a culture of pause at work?
Model it yourself. Block time to reflect, begin meetings with emotional check-ins, and celebrate teams that prioritize well-being. LifeLabs Learning also offers workshops to help teams build resilience and communication norms.
