The Power of a Daily Pause

“A daily pause, even just a moment with your garden, reconnects you to your breath, your intention, and your sense of self. It’s not about the time you spend — it’s about the care you give.” — Donna Letier

Pause with Purpose
In a world that rarely slows down, choosing to pause may be the most powerful thing we do. Everywhere we look, we’re told to go faster. Hustle harder. Do more. Be more.

But the truth is, most meaningful growth doesn’t happen in the sprint — it happens in the stillness. In the garden, nothing grows because we rush it. Things grow because we care for them, because we pause long enough to water, to tend, to notice.

And what’s true for plants is also true for people.

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you.” — Anne Lamott

The Pause Is Not a Luxury — It’s a Wellness Ritual When we pause, we reset. We quiet the fight-or-flight part of our brain and activate the part that allows us to focus, to solve problems, to connect with others.

Pausing lowers cortisol. It regulates the nervous system. And it improves our ability to process information clearly — not just react, but respond.

In fact, research shows that short, intentional breaks actually increase productivity. Your brain needs stillness to rewire, to grow, and to work well.

The pause isn’t wasted time — it’s restoration. It’s resilience.

Gratitude Lives in the Pause Here’s something I’ve learned: you can’t feel rushed and grateful at the same time.

Gratitude lives in the pause. That’s when we notice — the color of the sky, the scent of mint in your garden, the way someone laughed in a meeting.

Without pausing, we miss it all. Gratitude isn’t something we find. It’s something we make room for.

Confidence Grows in Stillness You don’t gain confidence by doing more. You gain it by pausing long enough to ask: What matters to me? What do I know to be true?

Confidence comes from reflection. Reflection builds self-trust. And self-trust? That’s the root system of confidence.

Think of gardening — before we plant, we pause. We check the light, the space, the season. That pause isn’t hesitation — it’s wisdom.

The same is true in your life. The pause is not stepping back. It’s stepping in.

The Desktop Garden: A Self-Care Tool That Grows with You

As a leader, give yourself permission to pause — and others will follow your lead. That is the magic of a desktop garden. It invites you to nurture and be nurtured, to slow down even for a moment as you mist your tropical plants or dust your succulent leaves.

Tending to a desktop garden is more than a task — it’s a ritual. One that invites stillness, mindfulness, and a bit of wonder. When we water or mist our plants, we create space to pause. To breathe. To gently check in with our own energy, just as we do with our plants.

Science Says: Small Rituals Can Make a Big Impact Daily rituals reduce stress, improve focus, and support emotional well-being. Studies have shown that interacting with plants can lower cortisol levels, reduce mental fatigue, and elevate mood.

A 2015 study published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology found that interaction with indoor plants can reduce physiological and psychological stress by suppressing autonomic nervous system activity and promoting comfortable, soothed feelings (Lee, Lee, Park, & Miyazaki, 2015).

Another study from HortTechnology (Lohr et al., 1996) showed that individuals working in environments with plants were more productive and experienced lower levels of stress.

Keeping a garden at your desk also introduces natural beauty into your workspace, which can increase productivity and foster creativity.

Final Thought: Grow Your Pause A desktop garden isn’t just décor — it’s a wellness tool. It’s a reminder that care doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as simple as a spritz, a breath, and a moment that belongs to you.

“A garden on your desk is a gentle reminder to care for what matters — starting with you.”

Today, you have permission to pause. To breathe. To mist your garden. To sip your tea. To choose a moment that belongs to you.

Because every time you do — you’re not just tending to your plants or your schedule or your stress — you’re tending to yourself.

Citations:

• Lee, M.S., Lee, J., Park, B.J., & Miyazaki, Y. (2015). Interaction with indoor plants may reduce psychological and physiological stress by suppressing autonomic nervous system activity in young adults: A randomized crossover study. Journal of Physiological Anthropology, 34(1), 21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40101-015-0060-8
• Lohr, V.I., Pearson-Mims, C.H., & Goodwin, G.K. (1996). Interior plants may improve worker productivity and reduce stress in a windowless environment. HortTechnology, 6(2), 189–192.