Sometimes, one of the best ways to get things done is to take a step back and think. Imagine a chess grandmaster sitting and staring at the board, planning moves for the next seven turns.

To be more productive, think about your tasks like a chess grandmaster. Here's how to do it:

Pausing Before You Start Isn’t Procrastination

It's called strategic pausing, and it's different from procrastination.

When you pause, you’re trying to understand what needs to be done. It’s like a planning phase where you take a moment to gather your thoughts and decide what your next steps should be. A pause isn't avoiding work; it's getting ready to work better.

Procrastination, however, is avoiding the work you don’t want to do. Everyone has tasks they don’t like, but procrastinators find excuses to put them off. If you stop working just to plan better and improve your results, that’s a strategic pause.

How to Use Strategic Pausing

If you want to use strategic pausing to help you get more done, try these steps:

• Understand the task - What do you need to do? What problem are you trying to solve, and how will it help? Is this task like something you've done before? Thinking about these things will make your work clearer and easier to handle.
• Think about the future - Most tasks don’t stand alone—they usually affect other projects or goals. Ask yourself how this task fits into the bigger picture. Knowing this will help you decide if you’re on the right track or if you need to adjust your plan.
• Improve the process - Take some time to think about how you can do the task better. Be creative and brainstorm ideas. Sometimes, the best solutions come when you give yourself space to think.
• Make a plan - Now that you have all the information, create a plan. Focus on your goal, decide what tools you’ll need, who will help, and how much time it should take.
• Review and adapt - After you’ve followed your plan, look back and see how it went. Could anything be better? If you spot a chance to improve, make changes and keep going.

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