Micro-pauses: the overlooked skill of future-ready leaders

Micro-pauses: the overlooked skill of future-ready leaders

Have you ever noticed how your best ideas arrive when you step away?

Perhaps when you’re in the shower, on a walk, or while making a cup of tea.

It’s no accident. Our brains are wired to restore energy and process information during moments of pause. Yet in workplaces today, the subliminal message is often the opposite: keep going, power through, don’t stop.

The problem? Energy is not infinite. Just like a phone battery, if we keep running without a recharge, the signal weakens and eventually, it shuts down. What I know from experience in healthcare - our body always gives us warning signals - pausing allows us to notice them.

What the evidence shows

Research suggests that short micro-breaks - a few minutes here and there - boost vigour and reduce fatigue. They might not radically lift productivity in the moment, but they do keep people steady enough to sustain their day.

Longer breaks, like taking lunch away from our desks, are even more powerful. They’ve been shown to improve not just wellbeing, but also productivity and decision-making.

And the activity matters. Resist “a quick scroll”, as it only adds to the mental clutter:

• Movement is helpful, especially when practised consistently.

• Breath - Five slow breaths dial down stress - enhancing memory, decision-making and emotion regulation.

• Green spaces give an added lift

• Connection with a teammate or friend also reduces stress and improves mood.

Why leadership matters

Here’s where leaders make all the difference.

When a manager skips lunch or books meetings across the middle of the day, it sends a quiet but strong signal: work is more important than taking a break. Staff often follow suit, even if it drains them.

But when leaders deliberately model pausing. For example, stepping outside, having a proper lunch break, encouraging a quick reset between meetings - it gives their teams permission to do the same. And that small shift changes culture.

Three simple ways to lead with pause

• Take your lunch break and encourage your team to do the same. Protect the time, don’t schedule across it. Visibly leave your desk, communicate to the team “I’ll respond when I return from lunch.”
  
  

• Break the back-to-back cycle. Even a 5-minute gap between meetings creates space to pause and take a breather.
  
  

• Normalise micro-pauses. Leaving your desk for a quick stretch, checking in with yourself before starting a conversation, or taking a quick walk up and down the stairs are small acts that protect energy for the long run.
  
  

RUOK? at work this week

R U OK? Day is Thursday 11 September. It’s a reminder that even the smallest pause can open a life-changing conversation.

If you notice a colleague who seems different lately, take a moment to check in:

• Ask how they’re going, naming what you’ve noticed.

• Listen without rushing to fix anything.

• Encourage action - whether it’s talking to a GP, or reaching out to someone they trust.

• Check in again later. Even if they say “I’m fine”, keep the door open to a future conversation.
  
  
  

You don’t need to be an expert - just a steady human who shows they care. And if someone is struggling, professional support is available: GP, EAP or 24/7 crisis lines such as Lifeline 13 11 14, or Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636.

The reframe

Contrary to popular belief, pausing doesn’t make us less productive. It allows us to work with the clarity and balance that comes when our energy is restored.

Future-ready leaders are the ones who can hold their ground in the face of change, because they know when to step back, breathe and return with clarity.

An invitation

These are the kinds of practices I teach in my work. Whether it’s with women stepping away for a day of reconnection, or with leaders shaping cultures where wellbeing and performance go hand in hand. If this conversation has sparked something for you, you’re welcome to explore what’s on offer next. The Grounded Woman retreat in September and a masterclass for leaders in October.

What would shift in your leadership - and in your workplace - if pausing wasn’t seen as wasted time, but as a skill worth practising?