Every day at work, we need to reserve empty spaces in our calendars to pause, breathe and connect to self and others. Empty spaces offer room for reflection, for seeing freshly, for connecting to what matters most, for letting go of something old and for letting something new emerge.

When we take a break from the performance-oriented way of working, we make space for new ideas to surface. There is room for creativity and free interaction that deepens people’s relationships and sense of belonging. Empty spaces are essential for our capacity to change.

“We cannot see freshly without stopping our habitual ways of being, thinking and perceiving.” – Participant in the CBCR pilot, reflection discussion

Empty spaces allow us — as individuals and as systems we are part of — to see and sense ourselves more deeply. Our habits, fears, busyness, opinions and personal biases don’t affect us only on a personal level, but on social and systemic levels, too.