Pause, rest and reset

Over the course of this month, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on the significance of the Mid-Year Season which we are now in. As we go through the journey of life, we must not only set and pursue our goals and aspirations; we must also deliberately make out time to Pause, Rest and Reset to ensure we don’t lose focus, burn out or just give up.

Like most competitive sports, football has its rest period after the first 45 minutes of play. It’s called Half-Time. At half time, players along with their coaches get to rest, review their tactics and restrategize for the second half of the match. In other instances, the half time could be the period between when the first and second leg of a match is played. I have seen on several occasions how the dynamics of a game changes when teams resume for the second half or the second leg.

Across the world, there are several football competitions and championships, one of which is the UEFA Champions League – organized yearly for top football clubs across Europe.  I recall vividly the Round of 16 Stage of the 2015/2016 UEFA Champions League competition – The stage is played over two legs – Home and Away. The first leg had Paris Saint Germain FC (PSG) versus FC Barcelona. The ‘Almighty’ Barcelona Lost 4 – 0 to PSG in the first leg, everyone concluded that it can only be a miracle if Barcelona scales past the Round of 16 – because they needed 5 goals difference to qualify into the Quarter-Finals Stage of the competition. Shockingly, Barcelona with a four-goal deficit won the Second-Leg match with an unbelievable 6 – 1 score line, putting the aggregate score at 6 – 5 and making it the biggest comeback in UEFA Champions League history.

The Second-Leg of this match was played some two weeks later. For the coach and the entire team, this gave them enough time to rest and review their tactics from the first-leg and re-strategize for the second-leg match. In the same way, pauses and rests are necessary in the rhythm of life to help us refresh, refuel and reposition for victory. As we approach the halfway mark in 2021, I encourage you to take a step back and rethink.

So, here are 3 things you should do to ensure you have a better second half of the year:

1. Pause

“Sometimes you need to press pause to let everything sink in.”- Sebastian Vettel

Take a deep breath; like football players during halftime, Inhale and Exhale!

How have you performed this year? Have an honest discussion with yourself. Keep it simple and objective, there’s also no need for self-condemnation. Just ask yourself a few questions like; How much effort and energy did you put into the first half of the year? How have the challenges around you affected your resolve to stay on course? Are you on track with the goals you set for yourself? You will need to answer these questions and I must repeat, be brutally honest with yourself.

For “thinking is the place where intelligent actions begin. We pause long enough to look more carefully at a situation, to see more of its character, to think about why it’s happening, to notice how it’s affecting us and others.” – Margaret J. Wheatley

2. Rest

“Take rest; a field that has rested gives a beautiful crop.” – Ovid

What does Rest mean to you?

With so many of us working long hours to keep up with an ever-increasing workload, we stand the risk of burning out or just barely making it through our day, week, month or year. It’s easy to overlook the importance of rest. We forego vacations in favor of more work, deadlines and the continual pressure to fit in all of our obligations. Rest, on the other hand, should not be underestimated. It’s a crucial part of doing your best work, enhancing workplace productivity and it must be prioritized.

So, as you compose your thoughts, Schedule a Time to Rest!

3. Reset

As you scan the year, evaluate the trend-line to many facets of your life — physical well-being, relationships, finances, work etc. The question is, what must change in order for this reset to take place? Do you have to make any critical decisions? Do you require assistance from others? Take a breather and hit the reset button!

While some of your goals, action plans and methods may need to be adjusted, it’s critical to keep the overall picture in mind. Your vision ab initio was to win! Don’t change that. Whatever winning means to you, you need to stay focused on it and stay committed to the vision you had about the year 2021. However, be willing to question your How, that is the path or strategy with which you intend to achieve your goals.

“It’s not only moving that creates new starting points. Sometimes all it takes is a subtle shift in perspective, an opening of the mind, an intentional pause and reset, or a new route to start to see new options and new possibilities.” – Kristin Armstrong.

So, as we approach the halfway point of this year, take a look at your goals, review your objectives and deliberately try to Pause, Rest and Reset!

Till the next time we meet here, remember we all have “A Role to Play.”

Bank-Olemoh is Senior Special Assistant to the President on Education Interventions.