Teagan P.'s Key Ideas from A Minute to Think
by Juliet Funt

Drive, excellence, information, and activity are positive motivators but can become counterproductive when taken to unhealthy extremes, acting as "time thieves".

1. An overdrive mentality pushes you past capacity.
2. Perfectionism spends unnecessary time optimizing minutiae.
3. Information overload tries consuming more data than one can process.
4. An overactive frenzy mistakes busyness for productivity.

These impulses come from admirable human tendencies but require awareness and balance to avoid dysfunction.

Using micro-pauses to notice your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations fosters emotional and self-awareness that often goes unexamined in our busy lives.

Without judging or trying to change them, objectively observing your inner state builds EQ. It's only when you pause and pay attention that you gain insight.

When faced with uncertainty, problems, or negative thought spirals, pausing briefly stops counterproductive thinking patterns.

Creating even a tiny mental break disrupts rumination and worry to gain fresh eyes.

You can get unstuck and see new solutions.

• Pausing thoughtfully before responding in conversations helps us move from reactive listening to deep listening.
• We truly hear others, understand different perspectives, and communicate more positively.
• Pausing builds empathy and strengthens personal and professional relationships.

Taking pauses throughout the day helps dissipate stress because it short-circuits the brain's threat and "fight or flight" response from the reactive amygdala.

Pausing allows the logical, thoughtful prefrontal cortex to regain control.

• Silencing your inner noise and external distractions even briefly creates mental space for original ideas and insights to emerge.
• Pausing lets the brain make new and original connections leading to creativity.

Micro-pauses bring greater awareness to the present moment rather than getting lost ruminating about the past or anticipating the future.

Mindful presence fosters gratitude, contentment, and living in the now.