The Power of Space Without Pressure: Why rest fuels clarity and action

After a full-on twelve months of coaching, projects, life, and all the unseen tasks that come with running a business and a family, I recently gave myself permission to fully step back.

On holiday, although I had taken my notebooks and diary with me, I didn’t try to plan ahead. I ended up not lifting a finger with my coaching work. I didn’t write a blog, draft a new programme, or map out the next quarter. I simply allowed myself to be - to rest, to potter, to enjoy time with family, and to switch off the “doing” part of my brain.

It wasn’t until I returned home that something shifted.

A quiet walk and an unexpected realisation

Yesterday, I spent the day getting through the post-holiday washing, spending time with the dogs, and slowly easing back into UK time. I made sure nothing was rushed. No ‘right, back to it!’ energy. Just a gentle re-entry into life.

Then this morning, after a good sleep, I went for a walk. It was so good to pick up my routine of an early morning walk after being away for a couple of weeks.

The ground was damp from overnight rain. The sky was soft and grey. I spotted three deer in the distance and felt that particular stillness you only get early in the day.

And in that calm, unforced moment the outline for my book came to me.Every chapter and every theme as clear as day.

I’ve had the title for this book in my head for over three years, but I’ve never had the bandwidth or headspace to develop it. Until now.

The Psychology: Why pausing helps progress

There’s a powerful psychological concept at play here called incubation. It’s the idea that when we stop consciously thinking about a problem or idea, our subconscious continues to work on it in the background.

This is why we so often have our best ideas in the shower, on a walk, or in those drifting-off-to-sleep moments when the pressure lifts and the brain is no longer under strain to perform.

In cognitive psychology, this is known as default mode network (DMN) activity and it’s the mental state we enter when we’re not focused on the outside world. The DMN is where reflection, insight, and creativity emerge. Crucially, it’s activated by rest, daydreaming, walking in nature, or gentle pottering.

When we’re constantly ‘doing’, we crowd out this space.

So while we may feel more productive when we’re ticking off tasks (I know I do!), the deeper shifts, those that lead to clarity, renewed purpose, or creative breakthroughs often happen when we stop.

For me, the break was the catalyst

I didn’t go away to work on my book (far from it) and I definitely didn’t plan to make decisions or set goals. I simply gave myself space and in that space, something important surfaced.

This is something I see often in my coaching sessions. Women so used to being on the treadmill of life that pressing pause feels alien and even indulgent. But when we allow ourselves to create space without any particular expectation, our insight and intuition has a chance to breathe.

What might this look like for you?

You don’t need a holiday to benefit from space. Yours might look like:

• A short walk at lunch without your phone

• A self-care day every couple of months just for you (I started this in January and it’s a must now; firmly scheduled into my diary for the whole year)

• Switching off notifications for a set period daily

• A regular digital detox – even just Sunday mornings (I do an hour each day but I think a full say would really make a difference)

• A quiet, contemplative practice like yoga, journaling or breathwork (I use the Calm app and do a daily meditation)

It’s not about doing less for the sake of it. It’s about making room for what matters most to rise to the surface.

Three Ways to Create Space This Week

1. Carve out 30 minutes of space - no devices, no distractions. Go for a walk, sit in the garden, or simply let your mind wander.

2. Drop one non-essential ‘should’ on your list. Is there something you’re doing out of obligation? Let it go this week and see what changes.

3. Reflect on when you last felt spacious. What were you doing or not doing? How can you bring more of that into daily life?

So What’s Next?

I’m back feeling refreshed, and ready to dive into the next chapter literally and figuratively. The book seeds are finally planted, and I’d love your support as I begin putting words on the page.

More importantly, I return with a deeper reminder that space, without pressure or expectation, is not wasted time. It’s fertile ground. And often, it’s where our best ideas come from.

So let me leave you with this gentle prompt:

What small step could you take this week to create a little more headspace? Not to achieve more — but to feel more.