The Power of Pause: Crafting Calm in a Hectic World

We’ve all been there. That Tuesday morning when your calendar is completely packed. Eleven meetings stacked up one after another, maybe right after a bank holiday when everyone’s playing catch-up. You move from one video call to the next, barely having time to grab water, let alone breathe. By lunchtime, you feel like you’ve lost yourself somewhere between the second and third meeting.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. High-achieving women are experiencing this more than ever—that sense of emotional exhaustion that comes from being “on” all day long, managing multiple conversations, decisions, and emotional labor without ever truly pausing to reset.

Here’s the thing: the fix doesn’t have to be complicated.

The Problem with Complicated Solutions

When we’re overwhelmed, we often look for big, transformative solutions. We think we need a week-long retreat, a complete schedule overhaul, or hours of meditation to feel better. But here’s what Cheryl Paris reminds us in this energizing episode: when your brain is already at capacity, you won’t remember complicated strategies. You need something that fits seamlessly into what you’re already doing.

The real issue is that we’re designing our wellness strategies for an idealized version of our lives—the calm version, the one with breathing room. But we’re living in the busy version. So if we want our strategies to actually survive in real work, we need to design them for busy, not against it.

That’s where the concept of stacking comes in.

What Is Stacking? The Art of Micro Rituals

Stacking is about taking what you’re already doing—those inevitable calendar pings, meeting transitions, the moment you sit in your chair—and attaching small, powerful practices to them. These aren’t elaborate routines. We’re talking about rituals that take between 30 and 60 seconds. Under three minutes maximum.

Think of it like anchoring good habits to existing triggers. You know how habits often fail when they just float around with no attachment point? They succeed when you anchor them to something you can’t miss. And in a busy work life, what you can’t miss is that calendar notification.

A Practical Example: The Widening Frame

Here’s one you can start using immediately. The next time your calendar pings and you’re about to jump into a meeting:

1. Pause for just a moment. Imagine widening your frame—literally expand your peripheral awareness by an inch or two.
2. Notice your breathing. You already have breath happening; you don’t need to change it. Just notice it.
3. Lengthen your outbreath slightly. This small shift signals safety to your nervous system.
4. Feel the chair. Notice what part of your body is taking more weight. This grounds you in the present moment.

That’s it. You’ve just reset your nervous system in under a minute.

The Power of Anchoring Words

But there’s another layer to this. Before you step into your next meeting, choose one word that will be your private cue. This word becomes your anchor—your personal reminder of the state you want to bring to the interaction.

Steady if you know the meeting might run hot—if there’s tension, disagreement, or high emotion.

Clear if it runs messy—if there’s confusion, competing priorities, or unclear outcomes.

This word becomes your internal compass. It’s something nobody else needs to know about. It’s just for you, a way to take charge of your state before you show up.

Opening Strong

Once you’ve anchored yourself with your word, you can open the meeting with intention. Try: “Quick check—what’s the one decision we need by the end of this?”

This does several things at once. It clarifies the meeting’s purpose, it sets the pace, and it immediately shifts the energy from “let’s talk about everything” to “let’s be efficient and focused.”

You might even add your anchor word to the pre-title of your next three calendar invites: “Steady—Q3 Risk Assessments” or “Clear—Operational Handover.” It’s your private cue, visible only to you, reminding you of the state you want to bring to each interaction.

The Nervous System Approach

Here’s what’s really important to understand: this isn’t about willpower or positive thinking. This is about taking charge of your nervous system state. When you’re in back-to-back meetings without pausing, your nervous system stays in a heightened state. You’re running on adrenaline and cortisol. You’re not actually present; you’re in reactive mode.

These micro rituals interrupt that pattern. They give your nervous system a chance to recalibrate, even if just for 60 seconds. And a recalibrated nervous system shows up differently in meetings. You’re calmer, more thoughtful, more able to actually listen and respond rather than just react.

You Only Need One Willing Participant

Now, you might be thinking: “This sounds nice, but my workplace is cynical. Nobody will join in with me.”

Here’s the beautiful truth: you only need one nervous system to start shifting the energy around you. You don’t need your whole team to buy in. You just need to show up differently. And when you show up with more calm, more clarity, and more presence, that energy is contagious. People feel it, even if they don’t consciously understand why.

When You Need More Support

That said, if you’re feeling unsafe or overwhelmed, please don’t white-knuckle it. Reach out to your GP, your organization’s support services, or a qualified professional. There’s no shame in asking for help when you need it. These micro rituals are wonderful tools, but they’re not a replacement for professional support when you’re truly struggling.

Progress Is Progress

As you move through your week, here’s your reflection: What state will you present in your next meeting? What word will you choose?

Every small step you take—every 60-second pause, every intentional breath, every anchored word—is a step toward a more balanced future. Progress isn’t always dramatic. Sometimes it’s just the difference between feeling slightly more present in a meeting. And that matters. That counts.

Trust the process. You’ve got this.

Ready to Go Deeper?

This episode is packed with practical, actionable strategies you can implement today. Cheryl breaks down exactly how to integrate these micro rituals into your real, busy, chaotic work life—no miracle solutions required.

Listen to the full episode now and discover how the power of pause can transform your work stress and emotional resilience.

Have thoughts on this episode? We’d love to hear from you! Contact us on WhatsApp at +447485622662 and let us know how you’re using these strategies.

Remember: you’re amazing, brilliant, gorgeous, and wonderful. Even on the hard days. 💛