Sometimes we need to slow down and do less. It’s not about giving up but topping up. We need to refuel, to rebuild our energy reserves. We need to refresh, to sustain our curiosity. Taking a step back can bring clarity or new perspectives.
We might need recovery time in our career – a holiday, a secondment, a change of direction. But we can also catch our breath within our conversations.
Doing less can make what we have already done more effective. We all know the power of a simple, heartfelt apology that isn’t diluted by explanations or justifications.
It’s easy to get caught in the momentum of a conversation. A pause may help us to continue with clearer intention. Asking ourselves “What is this person really telling me?” or “What’s not being said?” may take the work deeper. Asking the other person “What have I missed?” or “What are you hoping we will focus on?” might take us in a surprising or more meaningful direction.
We can do less in the moment too. If we have reflected back our understanding, we don’t need to go straight into another question. Leaving silence between our words lets the person hear their own thoughts.
If we’re halfway through a reflection and it feels like it’s hard to finish, we can just stop. Chances are we’ve already reflected back a complete thought that stands on its own.
We can simplify questions without feeling like we need to guess what to explore next. Perhaps a simple prompt of “What are your thoughts?” or “What else?”
We know this. It’s not new. But a lot of our training leaves us feeling like we’ve got to work hard, be busy, be clever. But the space between the doing is just as valuable.
Helen Mentha 