The Weekly Dose - The Strategic Pause
"When you get tired, learn to rest, not quit" attributed to Banksy
Hello,
I nearly didn’t send this note. I’m pretty exhausted. My last few weeks have been full of running workshops, online and in-person. And I’m loving it, but not under estimating the amount of energy it takes. And, being fully transparent, not all the gigs are paid. I do some free sessions as the audience is perfect to hear my work, buy the book, book a workshop. So busy but still not quite getting the financial return yet.
It’s where I, now, intentionally, separate marketing sessions and client delivery. I used to think of them as the same thing - which is ridiculous I know. But now a free event is different to a fully paid gig. It has to be. So many times I haven’t let people know how to work with me, or buy my book, or support my work - and I just gave my time away for free hoping something would come of it. It rarely does, you have to be intentional! And its making me feel better about what I’m doing.
So, although I’m tired, it’s a good kind of tired. And that’s what I thought Id share with you. Because its also been a hot topic of the workshops this week. Pausing (step 1!) - and how good or bad we are at it, how we often feel we haven’t got time to pause, and yet all studies show we have to learn how to rest, how to re-energise, how to pause.
Would love your thoughts on the blog. The Six Energy Elements are fast becoming the most popular part of the workshop - but what do you think.
Have a restful weekend. Whatever that may look like!
Eleanor
Follow me on LinkedIn here > eleanor - say hello
Read and review my book here > book - you’ll make me so happy :)
Blogging
The Strategic Pause: More of This, Less of That
When change hits, most of us do one of two things: we push harder, or we grind to a halt. Neither is particularly helpful. What we actually need is a Strategic Pause -a moment to stop and ask ourselves an honest question: what do I need more of right now, and what do I need less of?
When I was researching Pause for the book I came across so many frameworks and thoughts on the topic. The three that grabbed my attention were - Dr Bill Hettler’s Six Dimensions of Wellness, Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith’s seven types of rest and the Yerkes-Dodson performance curve. All point to the same theme: there is rarely just one thing that we can dial up and down that will fix us. We are a whole system, and in moments of change, different parts of that system need different things. And because we are going through change, what we might think of as rest, stimulation, energy might have changed to!
Using the Six Energy Elements from the Change Mastery workshop, you can think about each dimension of your energy - emotional, intellectual, physical, relational, spiritual, mental and ask yourself what you really need right now. Sometimes it’s more of something, sometime sits less - and sometimes the answer surprises us.
Think about -
Which of the six energy elements feels most depleted right now?
Where are you pushing harder when what you actually need is permission to stop?
Is there something you’re calling “rest” that isn’t actually restoring you?
What would “less” look like this week and does that feel like relief or resistance?
If you were being truly honest with yourself, what do you need more of that you’ve been avoiding?
Listening
My final Do Radio show. Its a closing door for me as my series on Do Radio comes to an end. So I had to get an appropriate guest for my last conversation. Who better than Reggie Nelson . Reggie’s story (and brilliant book) is about Opening Doors. And once you’ve listened to Reggie’s story you’ll never hesitate to knock on doors again.
If you are navigating change right now take a listen to any of these conversations. They all have stories on adversity, grit, determination that when a door closes, there is always another door about to open. Thank you if you’ve been listening 🙏🙏🙏🙏 Pointless creating if no one is consuming.
Do Radio
Reading
Read this book if you want a better relationship with rest.
Staying busy is easy. Staying well rested-now there’s a challenge. How can you keep your energy, happiness, creativity, and relationships fresh and thriving in the midst of never-ending family demands, career pressures, and the stress of everyday life? In Sacred Rest, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, reveals why rest can no longer remain optional.
Sacred Rest combines the science of rest, the spirituality of rest, the gifts of rest, and the resulting fruit of rest. It shows rest as something sacred, valuable, and worthy of our respect. By combining scientific research with personal stories, spiritual insight, and practical next steps, Sacred Rest gives the weary permission to embrace rest, set boundaries, and seek sanctuary without any guilt, shame, or fear.
Is your team going through change? Do they need a space to take time out to think, reflect, reset?
Book in a Change Mastery workshop - full days or 90 minutes.
“I wasn’t sure at first. I felt so down joining the call. But I let myself ‘go exploring’ as we were instructed to do, and honestly I’ve not stopped thinking about it. I’m working on my ‘messy moment’, and ideas are starting to brew. Thank you” - Feedback from a participant last week.
“Like Wintering, but for your career. A self-compassion toolkit for times of change - full of Eleanor’s trademark kindness, wisdom, practicality and humour.” Graham Allcott, Author, KIND: The quiet power of kindness at work
