Pause and Reconnect Practice
Quiet mental noise, label thoughts, and return to deliberate action
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~ongoing to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 94%
The practice combines a short daily meditation with an in-the-moment reset. Mary Portas describes sitting for about ten minutes in the morning, settling her mind, noticing thoughts as they appear, and naming them simply as thoughts rather than becoming frustrated. She then reconnects with bodily sensation and a wider sense of energy. The practice continues during the day through a cue—“pause”—used when she notices herself going out of sync, including in meetings where she might otherwise speak too quickly or too much. The mechanism is interruption: observe the thought, create a gap, relax, and choose what comes next instead of reacting automatically. Portas presents this as a personal practice that has helped her considerably, not as a medical treatment.
Origin
Extracted from The Diary of a CEO
Core principles
- 01The mind can disrupt or strengthen you
- 02Thoughts can be noticed without being obeyed
- 03A brief pause can interrupt an unhelpful reaction
- 04Regular reconnection supports action aligned with your values
How to run it
- 1
Create a quiet window
Reserve about ten minutes in the morning to sit without another task competing for attention.
Pro tip Use a guided audio if sitting quietly feels unfamiliar.
- 2
Settle into the body
Let the mind slow and bring attention to physical sensation rather than chasing every idea.
Watch out Do not treat a busy mind as failure. Noticing it is part of the practice.
- 3
Label the interruption
When a thought appears, identify it simply as a thought and release it without argument or annoyance.
Pro tip A little humour can make the interruption feel less commanding.
- 4
Return and open
Relax, reconnect with your body, and return to a calmer, less crowded state before ending the session.
- 5
Carry the pause into the day
When you notice yourself going out of sync, silently cue “pause,” stop, relax, and let your response emerge more deliberately.
Pro tip Use the cue in meetings before speaking when you feel an urge to fill the space.
In the wild
Portas describes noticing in a meeting that she might be about to talk more. She stops, relaxes, and allows the conversation to come back in rather than automatically taking the floor.
→ She reports that the practice helps her return to a more balanced response.
When the pandemic abruptly stopped client work, Portas initially experienced fear and sleepless nights. Over time, she says she kept reconnecting with a deeper sense of herself and reached greater acceptance while rebuilding.
→ She regained perspective and began noticing valuable time with her children alongside the business crisis.
Common mistakes
Fighting every thought
Getting annoyed at mental interruptions adds another reaction. Notice and label the thought, then return attention gently.
Keeping the practice on the cushion
A morning session alone misses the practical mechanism. Use the same pause during real moments of pressure.
Treating meditation as medical care
Portas describes what helped her personally. Do not present the practice as treatment for grief, depression, or another condition.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for people who want a short, repeatable way to regain composure during demanding days.
Not ideal for
It is not a substitute for professional care when distress or grief requires clinical support.
From the transcript
“i do each morning with it i only do 10 minutes”
“any time a little thing comes in that says i go thought”
“i just have this thing that just says pause and i pause and then i relax”
From the episode
Mary Portas - How To Stop Living A Life That Isn't True To You