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The Purposeful Pause
A free weekly newsletter that
Browse *past* Issues
digital graveyards, focus friends, and the myth of universal systems
There's a graveyard in my notes app... (and at least a few drawers in my office.)
Maybe yours too?
📓 Bullet journals that lasted exactly 13 days. ⏰ Time-blocking calendars abandoned after the first sick day. ☀️ Morning routines that died the moment daylight saving hit. 📱 Productivity apps downloa...
by Hannah Keyes —
Aug 24, 2025
burnout prevention
frameworks + tools
productivity
sustainable systems
system audits
chocolate mousse, sustainable change, and the back-to-business season
What goes together like the last dregs of summer and poolside reading? Fall back-to-business rush + burnout.
It's that time of year where everyone is looking forward, closing out summer mentally and putting the pedal to the metal before we hit the holidays.
Which also means, me and my 1:1 clien...
by Hannah Keyes —
Aug 17, 2025
burnout prevention
energy management
seasons + rhythms
sustainable systems
turning 36, seasonal cusps, and the journey to trusting yourself
I always get sentimental this time of year.
Maybe it's all those years of back-to-school conditioning or maybe it's because my birthday sits right at the threshold between summer's permission and fall's structure...
Either way, August often ends up feeling more like a fresh start than January ev...
by Hannah Keyes —
Aug 10, 2025
mental health
mindset
perfectionism
reflection
seasons + rhythms
taking time to reflect, mermaid research, and when the detour is the path
"When I started working with you originally on energy tracking, I had calls [back-to-back] from like 12 to 6 every day, and now I'm at the point where I have a lot more choice in my schedule."
My client shared this on a call last week as we were reflecting on her journey and it got me thinking ab...
by Hannah Keyes —
Aug 03, 2025
burnout prevention
change management
energy management
seasons + rhythms
sustainable systems
microdosing joy, crash patterns, and the process of integration
Picture this:
You finally have the breakthrough—that lightning bolt moment where everything clicks.
Why you've been struggling.Why you've been yearning for something different.And what needs to change for you to feel aligned again.
It all makes perfect sense now.
There's a buzz of excitement an...
by Hannah Keyes —
Jul 27, 2025
burnout prevention
change management
frameworks + tools
mental health
perfectionism
jello nostalgia, 847 unread emails, and the recipe for burnout-free time off
You sit down at your desk with a freshly made coffee and stare at 847 unread emails, a back-to-back calendar, 150+ unread notifications in Slack, and feel a shiver up your spine at the thought of opening your project management system to see the notification number there too.
This is the general ...
by Hannah Keyes —
Jul 20, 2025
burnout prevention
framworks + tools
rest + recovery
sustainable systems
systems + processes
unexpected pauses, a cake crusade, and the myth of me-free businesses
I stepped away for longer—and more extensively—than intended when I had a health scare after the holiday (more on this at the end of today's email).
What I discovered during those weeks didn't feel great: a major chunk of my business systems are actually me-systems, not yet real systems.
And I'm ...
by Hannah Keyes —
Jul 13, 2025
burnout prevention
frameworks + tools
rest + recovery
sustainable systems
system audits
something a little different this week...
There's something I've been wrestling with lately, and I'm going to share it with you in real time instead of waiting until I have it all figured out.
Like many late-diagnosed neurodivergent and recovering people-pleasers, I've spent much of my life trying to prevent judgment and rejection anymor...
Jun 15, 2025
permission
personal growth
momentum bridges, toxic waste routines, and the summer expansion guide
There's this moment in every seasonal transition where you can feel your body asking for something different, but your brain hasn't caught up yet. You find yourself resistant to routines that served you beautifully just weeks ago, or suddenly energized by possibilities that felt overwhelming in s...
by Hannah Keyes —
Jun 08, 2025
adapting systems
boundaries
energy management
seasons + rhythms
sustainable systems
doing nothing, apple lore, and juggling the three P's
I've been thinking about how we can honor the summer energy that calls us to slow down without guilt or dropping everything we are responsible for.
We are (unfortunately?) adults...
To enjoy the season without the "I should be taking advantage of these beautiful days" pressure or the "everyone el...
by Hannah Keyes —
Jun 01, 2025
energy management
rest + recovery
seasons + rhythms
self-care
sustainable systems
summer fridays, lazy smart, and the guilt-free guide to rest
It's the unofficial start of summer this weekend here in the States.
Maybe it's the longer days or the promise of "summer freedom" lingering from childhood, but there's something about this time of year that creates a unique tension – simultaneously pulling us toward both rest and productivity.
...
by Hannah Keyes —
May 25, 2025
boundaries
productivity
rest + recovery
seasons + rhythms
permeable boundaries, leaky cups, and the dance to protect and replenish energy
Have you ever noticed that some days you feel like you could conquer the world, while other days just answering emails feels like climbing Everest?
For years, I thought the secret was just finding the perfect recharge ritual. But through multiple burnout recoveries—that felt more like trial-and-e...
by Hannah Keyes —
May 18, 2025
boundaries
burnout prevention
energy management
rest + recovery
sustainable systems