The Art of Pausing: Finding Freedom from Hustle Culture

If you're powering through your day like a caffeine-fueled robot with no off switch—stop. Your brain and body are not machines. We are more like rechargeable batteries, but we need to recharge.  On this episode of Crina and Kirsten Get to Work, our hosts discuss giving IT (all of IT) a rest.  

SHOW NOTES

A break is not a luxury—it's a necessity. A German study found that we respond to physical overload with back, neck and shoulder pain.  Our bodies are talking to us, but are we listening?  And our brains do something similar - short-circuiting into anger, passivity, or full shutdown mode (hi, doom scrolling in the bathroom).  Breaks help avoid those responses - and in fact are alarms from our bodies, brains and souls that we need to give it a minute (and maybe lots more)  While there is nothing wrong with guilty social media scrolls or fake “I’m just checking email” moments, we need actual pauses—time for your body and mind to reset.

We may think that breaks are the enemy of productivity—but research says breaks are golden ticket to performance and productivity. Breaks replenish glucose, reduce stress hormones, and activate the brain’s “default mode network,” a magical zone responsible for creativity, introspection, and those “aha” moments (yes, even Pixar movies have emerged from a well-timed lunch break).

And it’s not just your brain that benefits. Animal shelter workers who took breaks lasted longer in their careers, and team breaks build trust and improve collaboration. Even short “microbreaks” matter—especially when they come after tough meetings or demanding tasks.

The barriers? Hustle culture, guilt, tech, and the glorification of burnout. But changing the narrative around unproductive time is crucial. Walk.  Get out in nature - heck, check out those orca videos.  Stretch. Nap. Stare at trees. Laugh at a meme. Walk your dog. Daydream. Call your mom. Whatever recharges you.

Because the ultimate flex isn’t grinding 24/7—it’s knowing when to step away. 

Good Reads:

• A Guide to Taking Better Breaks at Work – Harvard Business Review, Feb 2025
• How to Take Better Breaks at Work, According to Research – Harvard Business Review, May 2023
• Impact of Recovery Breaks on Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders – Applied Ergonomics, 2023
• The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World, Rosen & Gazzaley