A quick pause doesn’t have to be a scheduled slot—just a breath before you hit “reply.” Try a 30‑second check‑in: close your eyes, feel the chair, notice one sound. If you can fit that between tasks, you’ve made room for presence without rearranging the board. For a real break, carve out a 15‑minute window that you treat as a non‑negotiable “no‑Zoom” hour, even if you just sit and stare at the ceiling. The trick is to stop filling empty time with more work and start letting the mind settle into its own rhythm. That’s the spot that actually feels present.