Today is Good Friday. If you are among the roughly 31% of the world observing this day (or even if you’re not) I still think it offers a good excuse to reflect on something many of us don’t do enough: pause. Because even on days designed for slowing down, many of us still feel the urge to produce, respond, and keep moving.

I’ll be honest: this is one of the concepts I struggle with the most. Today is technically a holiday for me, and yet here I am writing this newsletter and occasionally checking a work email. But writing also helps me slow down and think more clearly. So in a way, this serves me as much as I hope it serves you.

The problem is, we have systems for action, deadlines, and execution, but very few systems for stopping. And that might be exactly why we struggle to reset well, think clearly, and create our best ideas.

Tip of the Week: Build pauses into your system before life forces them on you.

Side Note: If you’re trying to evolve your role into something more strategic, the right systems make all the difference.

That’s why I created the Effective Workload Management Systems course - a proven framework to help you design repeatable systems, manage visibility, and stay in control of your priorities. It’s been refined with input from over 70,000 Amazonians, and it's helped thousands shift from reactive to intentional. If you're serious about leveling up how you work (and how you're seen) start there.

The Theory Behind

We are surrounded by systems that optimize action, but very few that optimize stillness. Most of our days are designed around output (meetings, messages, deadlines, and deliverables). Busyness feels like progress, even when it isn’t. But concepts like dolce far niente (the sweetness of doing nothing) remind us that stillness has value. Not accidental laziness, but intentional space. The problem is that many of us don’t know how to pause without feeling like we’re falling behind.

Many of our best ideas actually come during recovery. There’s actual science behind this. When we step away, the brain activates what’s known as the Default Mode Network (DMN), a state linked to creativity, reflection, and insight. It’s also why ideas tend to show up in the shower, on a walk, or while driving. Psychologists call this the incubation effect: stepping away from a problem often leads to better solutions. In other words, thinking improves when we stop trying so hard to... think.

The most effective pause is not accidental, it is designed. Across cultures, we see this pattern: the Sabbath principle, rest days, think weeks, reflection rituals. The idea is simple: pause needs to come by design, it needs to be planned ahead. Because if we don’t design it, life usually forces it on us through burnout, stress, or lack of clarity. The goal is not to slow down randomly, but to slow down on purpose.

What I’ve Learned

I struggle with this more than I’d like to admit. I’m not naturally good at taking breaks, sitting in silence, or just letting my mind be still. I’ve tried going on walks without my phone, journaling with no agenda, or just sitting at the park with a book and no pressure to “do” anything. And what always surprises me is how quickly my mind starts to wander. But the more I’ve paid attention to where it wanders, the more I’ve realized that those thoughts usually point to something important: what’s unresolved, what’s uncomfortable, or what I’ve been too busy to face. In that sense, I see pause more than just rest, as it gives me insight. And sometimes, the silence tells us exactly what we need to hear.

How to Build a System

1. Schedule one non-negotiable pause every week. Block 30–60 minutes. No meetings, no inbox, no notifications.

2. Protect true idle time. Go for a walk without headphones. Sit with a coffee without your phone. This is thinking time, not wasted time.

3. Ask three reset questions. What drained me this week? What mattered most? What should I stop carrying forward?

4. Capture bold ideas. Keep a simple note where you write ideas that show up during these pauses. They won’t come on demand.

5. End your week intentionally. Don’t just stop when you’re exhausted. Decide when the week is over.

6. Turn it into a ritual. Same time, same place, every week. Make it easy to repeat.

Sometimes the most effective move… is to stop moving. Do you also struggle with this as I do? Reply or share comments so we can exchange ideas!

Slow down, you crazy child,

Jorge Luis Pando

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PS: Wow, you made it all the way down here? You must really care about your personal development! Here are 3 ways I can help you grow even faster:

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Enjoying what you’re reading? Help a friend out… and you will win something for yourself too.