Move over mini-pause, try the micro-pause

Photo by Tetiana Padurets on Unsplash

“The ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest.” Thomas Moore

I didn’t go on holiday this weekend. I didn’t even go to a spa. But I did hurl myself into a freezing North Sea rock pool in the name of restoration, inspiration, and (let’s be honest) a slightly chaotic burst of main character energy.

I blame @carogileswrites and her brilliant book Twelve Moons, about surviving divorce and solo parenting in the wilds of Northumberland. Sea swimming was her thing. She even name-dropped a specific rock pool off Hawick Point. So naturally, I went full fangirl, tracked it down, and launched myself in. Twice. Two days in a row. Ten minutes each.

I will be honest, it was absolutely freezing.
My limbs went numb, my teeth attempted Morse code, and I couldn’t feel my bum until well into Sunday evening.

And yet... it was glorious. For ten minutes I wasn’t overthinking, scrolling, planning dinner, replying to WhatsApps.

I was just there, buzzing with cold, saltwater, and aliveness.

It made me think: a mini-pause can feel like a full-blown break. No flights, no forms, no lost passports. Just a tiny window where you stop Doing All The Things and remember you’re a human being, not a productivity app in a cardigan.

So today — this Monday — I’m inviting you into the sacred art of the micro-pause.

Not a life overhaul.
Not a yoga retreat.
Just one small moment where you let yourself... stop.

Maybe it’s:

• A hot tea you actually sit down and drink while it’s still hot (imagine!)

• Five pages of your book instead of five scrolls of Instagram

• Standing outside with your face in the sun like a middle-aged lizard

• Doodling something pointless

• Or walking the long way home just because it’s prettier

That’s it. That’s the pause. That’s the joy.

No drama. No wet socks (unless you choose sea swimming, in which case: godspeed).

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Micro-Pause Prompt
Where can I sneak a ten-minute joy moment into my day today — something small, soulful, and just for me?

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