When was the last time you gave yourself permission to pause?

Not just a break to scroll your phone or tackle errands, but a real pause—a moment to step back, breathe, and reflect. As leaders, we’re conditioned to equate busyness with progress. Yet, ironically, it’s often in stillness where clarity and direction emerge.???

Two weeks ago I did just that - I pressed pause, unplugged and immersed myself in a space that allowed me to hike over 60 km in a week and participate in over 15 hours of both power and restorative yoga. ? I slept, read, ate well and did a lot of reflecting and journaling on 2024 and imagining 2025.???

Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, in his book Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less, challenges the hustle culture narrative. He demonstrates through research and examples that rest isn’t the opposite of work; it’s a partner to it. When leaders embrace deliberate rest—walks in nature, time for creative reflection, or even structured downtime—it fuels their ability to solve complex problems, innovate, and inspire.

Rest isn’t laziness; it’s leadership’s secret weapon. Studies Pang references, like those from neuroscience, show that our brains are most creative not when we’re hammering through tasks but when we’re in a state of “mind-wandering.” It’s in these moments—whether on a long hike, during a quiet morning coffee, or simply staring out the window—that the best ideas often surface. Rest creates space for reflection, and reflection sharpens direction.

Leadership isn’t just about knowing where you’re going; it’s about bringing others with you. To do that, you need clarity of purpose and the energy to connect. Exhausted leaders can’t inspire. Burnout erodes empathy and blurs focus. Rest restores both.

One of my favourite insights from Pang’s research is the importance of boundaries around rest. Protecting time for deep play or mindful reflection isn’t indulgent; it’s essential. Leaders who prioritize rest model something powerful for their teams: that sustained performance requires cycles of work and recovery. ? High Performance athletes do this through periodization and annual training plans. ? What if you treated yourself as the high performer that you are and created space for recovery, reflection and recharging your priorities, energy and purpose?

When we pause, we tap into a reservoir of insight, creativity, and connection that can’t be reached when we’re constantly in motion. Give yourself permission to pause as you transition into a new year. Make a plan for this time. Step away. Breathe. Reflect. In doing so, you’re not stepping back—you’re stepping forward, ready to set direction with intention and the capacity to inspire others to follow.

After all, the best leaders know that before we lead others, we must first lead ourselves—with rest, reflection, and on purpose.

Lead on,

Judy