Why Pausing in the Middle of the Day Matters

We don’t often pause in the middle of the day.

Not first thing in the morning.

Not at night when we’re already tired.

But in the middle.

That stretch of time where we usually push through. Scroll. Answer one more message. Make another coffee. Move on to the next thing.

In my Therapeutic Art Break this week, the prompt was very simple. We used a coin and let it guide the line across the page. No planning. Just allowing the coin to dictate the shape of the squiggle.

Then we stopped.

We looked at the page.

We noticed what was there — shapes, patterns, sometimes even an image.

It sounds simple because it is.

But something shifts when you give your full attention to one small task. When you allow yourself to focus without producing, achieving or performing.

For me, the image that appeared looked like a small bird tucked under a blanket. It made me smile. It also felt like a quiet reminder to show myself a little more patience and compassion.

That won’t always happen. You don’t have to find meaning in your doodles. Sometimes it’s just lines on a page.

But the act of pausing is the point.

These 30 minutes are not about being “creative”. They are about interrupting the rhythm of the day. About stepping slightly outside the constant forward motion.

A deliberate interruption.

A reset before the rest of the afternoon.

When we pause, even briefly, the nervous system recalibrates. The breath deepens. The shoulders drop. The mind steadies.

It doesn’t need to be complicated.

Paper. A pen. A coin.

Sometimes that is enough.

If You’d Like to Try It

My 30-minute online Therapeutic Art Break runs on Tuesdays at 1.15pm AST and ET US & Canada.


Each session includes a short breathing practice followed by one simple structured prompt.

No art experience is needed.

You’re very welcome to join us.