PAUSE. BREATH. RELAX. [EVEN FOR JUST A MOMENT.] Steven Holt consults in a variety of roles to individuals, groups, organizations, and corporations to build capacity, improve performance and effectiveness, and meet or exceed goals and objectives. With an engaging-results... Have you been reading in places like the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Forbes and Wired about the increase of workplace programs designed to help men and women pause, breathe, and relax? I have. There are pieces on yoga, meditation, gentle stretching, and “mindfulness” in its many incarnations - and they're highlighting the benefits to employees and to the companies for which they work. Many of us are “on” 24/7. Your plate is probably more full than you'd like it to be. You may run from meeting to meeting with barely a chance-literally-to catch your breath. You may look at your watch at the end of the day and say, “Where has this day gone?” Does any of this sound familiar? It's also possible (I'm not accusing you from this distance) that you may, as a result, be more short with your fellow employees. Perhaps you appear exasperated or annoyed if someone comes in presenting a problem that you hadn't planned on dealing with. Maybe you don't take the time you'd like to offer reassurance, support, and encouragement to others. Maybe time only allows you to “ping” them for things that have gone wrong. It's possible that your faster-faster-faster style is contagious and creates an environment in which others feel they have to behave in that way, too.