I do some of my best thinking on my bike. Or on my skis. Or in the shower. Or when I’m drifting off to sleep. I suppose that’s because, except for gravel, snow snakes, frothy soap and the Sandman ...

Daniel Kahneman, in his recent book, described the differences between thinking fast and thinking slow. When we engage in fast thinking, our responses are driven by emotions, heuristics, and biases.

Pausing gives you time to convert a fast impulsive response to a slower, thoughtful response.