University of Minnesota - UMN Executive Leadership Insights
A Minute to Think
Book

A Minute to Think

Reclaim Creativity, Conquer Busyness, and Do Your Best Work

Juliet Funt
HarperBusiness, 2021
Buy book or audiobook

Read or listen offline

Amazon Kindle
  • 0.5×
  • 0.75×
  • 1×
  • 1.25×
  • 1.5×
  • 1.75×
1×

Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Applicable
  • Engaging
  • Inspiring

Recommendation

Fortune 500 consultant Juliet Funt offers a fresh perspective on productivity. Funt makes the case that superior results – and better mental health – come from taking time to reflect and recuperate. She draws on psychology research and cites the experiences of professionals and teams in a variety of industries. Funt also offers sensible, actionable tools for incorporating “white space” in your day. Anyone who suffers from overwhelm – and is open to the notion that being busy and being productive aren’t necessarily the same thing – can benefit from her insights.

Summary

A strategic pause means taking a moment – or longer – to think, plan, create or just breathe.

When you take a strategic pause, you stop doing things and, instead, free yourself to think, feel, ponder, plan, create, reflect, question, dream or just rest. A strategic pause introduces white space into your day that can make your visible work more productive, purposeful and innovative. A white space mindset also means simplifying your work and home life to allow time for strategic pauses.

Taking a strategic pause doesn’t mean being idle or aimless, napping, or procrastinating. Strategic pausing also differs from meditation – which is predicated on maintaining focus on a singular thing, like a mantra or your breathing – and from letting your mind wander – an activity that frequently results from distraction.

A strategic pause can last just a moment – such as a pause to gather your thoughts during a conversation – or the length of a sabbatical. These pauses generally have one of four broad purposes: to recuperate from overwhelm, to declutter your mind, to step back and reflect, or to construct – as in, create, innovate...

About the Author

Juliet Funt is the CEO of the training and consulting firm The Juliet Funt Group.

Comment on this summary