The Mindful Pause: A How-to Guide

Mindfulness Supports a Calm and Attentive Mind

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a program based on the principles of mindfulness meditation practices, which has been simplified and repurposed for Western lifestyles.  The goal of MBSR is to cultivate life-skills that are useful for reducing the stress response, and the mental health and physical health consequences that result from chronic stress.

The mindful pause is one of the mindfulness-based practices considered integral to MBSR, and is exactly what it sounds like -- a pause, in which you stop whatever you are doing, and take 3-5 min to engage in a mindfulness exercise.  This is one of my go-to introductory meditation practices, due to its simplicity, and because it is feasible for most people to make time for this brief practice in their daily lives.

In my experience, the most difficult part of this practice is remembering to use it on a regular basis.  To help with this, my recommendation is to pair this practice with something you are already doing on a regular basis.  For example, you can practice this every time you open the door to enter or leave your home, or when you enter or leave your place of work.  For physicians, maybe you use this practice every time you transition between patients.  Pick something that feels practical and feasible for you.

An easy way to remember the steps in the mindful pause, is by remembering the “STOPP” acronym:

Stop

Take several deep breaths

Observe your breathing

Purpose

Prepare

The Mindful Pause Step-by-Step Guide:

Step 1: Pause whatever you are doing.

Step 2: Take several intentionally deep breaths.

Step 3: Observe the quality of your breathing:

Is your breathing fast, or slow? How does it feel to breathe?  Does your breath feel open, easy and comfortable, or does it feel restricted, shallow or difficult? 

Just observe the quality of your breathing.  As you observe the quality of your breathing, try not to judge your breathing as good or bad, just observe the quality of your breathing

Step 4: Take a moment to reflect on what your purpose is right now:

What are you meant to be doing? For example, are you about to go to a meeting? Are you about to start driving?  Are you about to start writing?  Are you about to call a friend?  What exactly is your purpose, right now?

Once you have decided on your purpose, prepare; step by step, what exactly do you need to do in order to fulfil your purpose. For example, if you are about to call a friend, you would first pick up your phone, then you would unlock your phone, then you would search for your friends name, then you would hit the green dial button, then you would hear the phone ring, then your friend would answer the phone, and then you would say something like “Hi Anne”. 

Step by step, what exactly do you need to do, in order to fulfil your purpose, right now?

Step 5: Open your eyes.

Now you are ready to fulfil your purpose.

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