In this episode of Pause Here, we explore the power of micro-pauses. Those tiny moments of breath, awareness, and intention that are quietly scattered throughout our everyday lives. From waiting for the kettle to boil and standing at traffic lights, to walking through a doorway or taking one breath before replying to a message, we discover how these often-overlooked moments can become opportunities to reset, reconnect, and return to the present.

Press play, slow down, and discover how calm doesn’t always need more time. Sometimes, it simply needs a doorway.

Every episode of Pause Here is inspired by current research across neuroscience, psychology, physiology, mindfulness and wellbeing. While we’ve done our best to translate complex science into everyday language, we’ve also aimed to preserve the nuance behind the findings. The references below are a great place to begin if you’d like to explore today’s topic in more depth.

• Zaccaro, A., Piarulli, A., Laurino, M., Garbella, E., Menicucci, D., Neri, B., & Gemignani, A. (2018). How breath-control can change your life: A systematic review on psychophysiological correlates of slow breathing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 12, 353.
• Wood, W., Mazar, A., & Neal, D. T. (2022). Habits and Goals in Human Behavior: Separate but Interacting Systems. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 17(2), 590-605.
• Lieberman, M. D., Eisenberger, N. I., Crockett, M. J., Tom, S. M., Pfeifer, J. H., & Way, B. M. (2007). Putting feelings into words: Affect labeling disrupts amygdala activity in response to affective stimuli. Psychological Science, 18(5), 421-428.
• Creswell, J. D. (2017). Mindfulness interventions. Annual Review of Psychology, 68, 491-516.
• Clark, A. (2013). Whatever next? Predictive brains, situated agents, and the future of cognitive science. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 36(3), 181-204.
• Chen P, Chavez O, Ong DC, Gunderson B. (2017). Strategic Resource Use for Learning: A Self-Administered Intervention That Guides Self-Reflection on Effective Resource Use Enhances Academic Performance. Psychological Science, 28(6), 774-785.
• Albulescu, P., Macsinga, I., Rusu, A., Sulea, C., Bodnaru, A., & Tulbure, B. T. (2022). "Give me a break!" A systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of micro-breaks for increasing well-being and performance. PloS one, 17(8), e0272460.