P.A.U.S.E. Method: Calm Work Mornings

The P.A.U.S.E. method is based on five small habits that promote a calmer work morning. Instead of cramming more into your morning routine, you lighten the load.

Feeling overwhelmed before the workday even begins is something we all experience. We hit snooze and suddenly our minds are racing with messages, emails, social media notifications... This leads to starting the day with a mental burden before we even get out of bed.

Career and workplace expert Jackson Parsons developed the P.A.U.S.E. method to address this. Here are the five steps:

P - Put your phone down: Avoid checking your phone for the first 15-20 minutes after waking up.

A - Avoid inbox overload: Get up, get ready, have breakfast, and save checking work emails for last.

U - Unrush your morning: Take your time with your morning routine or just one part of it.

S - Simplify your to-do list: Choose your main priorities from your to-do list.

E - Ease into work mode: Create a small transition ritual, like having a cup of coffee, before starting work.

The core idea of this method isn’t to be more productive, but to start your day with less mental load. Plus, you don’t have to implement all five steps at once. You can pick one to try for a week. If it works, you can gradually add the others. Don’t rush to catch up with the day; focus on being your best self.