Pause: Harnessing the Life-Changing Power of Giving Yourself a Break

As a young professional, many of this author’s stories and examples resonated deeply.Ironically, I took many pauses in reading this book. While it’s full of personal stories and flows easily, it’s also full of tips and exercises that made me stop to reflect. I love the description of another reviewer here who called it a treasure map. So, I encourage readers to keep a notebook nearby. The book has many places for readers to pause and journal, and that’s what made it most useful to me.One of my favorites lines in the book is an offer to reframe how we see pauses: “Life is handing you an opportunity to recalibrate. It is a gift.” I agree wholeheartedly, and I hope this book inspires many more people to give themselves permission to pause!

I took a pause before I knew this book existed. After I had partially planned my 4 day pause, I discovered this book. It is helpful, but the examples are not good for working class people. Who can take a month off or more without pay? LOL. I skipped most of the unrealistic examples but I would recommend this book to people who are trying to figure out what to do next. There are some good exercises in the book. And she does give ideas for people who can't take more than a day or two off. I didn't find those ideas as helpful as taking a month off but at least she tried.

Rachael O'Meara's book on pausing is one of the great missing links in the Age of Information. The myth of today is this: the more conceptual information we can wrap our minds around the more productive and fulfilled we will be.Sadly, nothing more could be from the truth. What we hyper "connected" modern human needs is to slow down, to actually connect with our body's and spirits, and begin to listen more and do less.Rachael's time working for Google, one of the most well known tech firms of all time, underscores her message: Even those at the top of their game need to learn how to pause, or, dare I say, run the risk of having lived a seemingly productive live only to find oneself bereft of true meaning and true fulfillment at the end of their lives.Great work Rachael!!!

This book resonated with me on a personal level. I took a two year Pause via termination from the corporate world. I found out more about self love and self worth during those two years. I don't think I would have been able to truly appreciate the contents of this book had I not gone through my own personal experience. Every word in this book I lived, and the two years I took my Pause were the most valuable years of my life. If you're experiencing calamity in your relationship, job, or daily life I highly recommend this book. A Pause can change your life...it did for me!

I truly enjoyed reading this book and found it to be thought-provoking, authentic, practical and wise! Rachael does a fantastic job in honestly sharing her sucesses and challenges within her career at Google and the lessons she learned along the way from taking her "pause."I could relate to this book on so many levels, having worked previously in the competitive and fast-paced world of Silicon Valley and Google myself and taken the StrengthsFinder 2.0 course, as well as courses from author and speaker, Mike Robbins, who she references in the book as well.Rachael's advice and tips are so needed in our society right now, as many professionals tend to work at such an extreme pace, which leads to frustration, burnout and a lack of passion in their work and careers. I hope more professionals are able to read her book to know how critical it is to take breaks, be mindful, assess or re-assess their lives and careers and find both personal and professional success through this process.Well done and I highly recommend this book!!!!!

Remembering to pause can be hard. Knowing how to pause in a way that is intentional and beneficial in a long-term way is even harder. This provides an amazing framework for pausing that brings together a variety of teachings, research, and methods and is presented in such an accessible way. I gave a copy to a friend even before I had finished because I know she would benefit from it greatly.

From this book, I've learned how to step away from tough problems at work and in relationships to shift briefly to a different thought pattern, environment, or activity. It's when I step away that the clarity of my situation and the answers shine brightly. From the small pauses - a single deep cleansing breath, a walk around the block, a few minutes reading a book in the middle of a task, petting my animals - to medium pauses - impromptu 3 hour exploration of a nearby the beach trail - to long pauses - a trip of healing to a far-off land: they all snap me out of the blind acceptance that things will never changes. They CAN change; it all starts with even the tiniest deliberate shift from whatever you are doing in this very instant - and that is presence, awareness, or The Pause.

I loved this book. It was just what I needed to read to start the year with the right vision. Anyone who had found themselves working and not being able to pull away from work or unplug fo yourself needs this book in their life.

If you ever felt (or maybe feel) time for self reflection was a guilty pleasure you should read this book. Taking time to assess is truly under valued. Racheal helps show the value of it as well as tips and signs you might be ready for a Pause.

Excelente leitura para quem está querendo rever sua carreira ou está sentindo desanimado profissionalmente! Infelizmente não está disponível na versão on-line para compra!