Updated: Jun 19, 2019
This is the time of the year where we hear the following comments: I can’t believe it is June already! What happened to the year? Soon it will be November December!

This time of the year, many people are struggling with: work deadlines, budgets, projects, company training programmers, other people’s diary requests, family and school demands.
The speed of the first part of the year was sustained by the excitement of a new year after long holidays (in the southern hemisphere). The northern hemisphere has a long holiday period coming up, but we already see how the demands of the business environment are ignoring holiday periods. It has become a 365 working days year. Everyone is connected (even Wi-Fi on flights makes it extra tough “own or recovery time”), across hemispheres and time zones. Supply and Demand are meeting real time, all the time, everywhere, and with fibre like speed.
Our sustainable performance is dependent on our ability to pause, to find time to reflect and observe our world of continuous fast-moving pace. When we become the observer, we develop an increased ability to RESPOND rather than REACT to the demands of the external environment. Not only are we cleverer, but we also have a positive impact on burnout and resilience.

This ability to pause and observe is a skill, not an attitude, and needs practice. And we should do (practice) it as often as possible. It is a fantasy that the long weekend and or the upcoming holiday could be our time to recover and rest. We must find that recovery time in every day. Yes, there can be a small holiday, in every day.
In your day, pause at least once for 10 minutes. Have that cup of tea, that cup of coffee, that walk, that sitting in nature, that stroll around the building, that lunch, that breathing practice, that “smoke break”, that drive to work or home, listen to that song.
The purpose of brakes in cars? To enable cars to go faster. Without brakes, a car can never operate with the needed speed. We also need to find our ways to “stop”, it’s the only way to make sure this engine can perform in a sustainable way. And be happier in the process!
Thank you; Casper Oelofsen
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