Written by Training & Development Lead Doona Smith
Something we could all benefit from doing more of – pausing.
The IP profession is all about innovation, progress, and moving forward. It is exciting, fast-paced and hugely rewarding.
However, when we are constantly focusing forwards, it is easy to overlook the ground we have already covered, the successes we have achieved and the impact all this ‘momentum’ can have on our nervous system.
Can you imagine a culture where reflection is regarded as just as important as achievement? A working environment where there is space to pause, reflect and acknowledge the progress that has been made so far? It might not seem so obvious at first glance but there are numerous benefits for IP firms adopting this approach. For example, it would ensure that individuals/teams/departments (and ultimately the firm) is going in the right direction; it would generate new ideas and ways of working arising from the reflection on what worked well / what didn’t work so well; and it would create a firm culture where people feel like human beings, not human doings.
We are almost half way through 2026 and, I don’t know about you but, I have certainly been asking myself ‘where has this year gone?’. It feels like the last few months have been a blur of conferences and webinars alongside the day to day workload of ‘getting stuff done!’
It can seem like we simply move from one deadline to the next, to the next, to the next. All in the name of being productive, being efficient and being effective. Ticking off that to do list (which never seems to end – which means we never seem to be done!).
But at what cost? We all know the impact of the ‘always on’ culture. We all know the serious repercussions of not taking the time to pause, to reflect and, perhaps most importantly, to talk to others about how we are doing, what we are feeling and the things we are finding hard. We know this. But we still aren’t acting on it… because we are so caught up in the next milestone to be achieved.
If we were to bring more reflection time into our working week, it would benefit us as individuals too. Reminding ourselves of how far we have come can help increase confidence and self-belief because we are able to acknowledge our accomplishments and take the learning from those into our next focus. It would also help to reduce overwhelm and anxiety as, in those moments of pause and reflection, we are giving our nervous system a chance to reset and recharge. This means we won’t be moving on to the next deadline, already feeling depleted.
I encourage you, whatever your role in the IP Profession, to take this article as a gentle invitation to pause this week. Give yourself permission to take some time out of your day, even if only for 15-30 minutes, to reflect on how far you have come. Here are some questions you could ask yourself:
What are you most proud of this year?
What has been your biggest win/success?
What have you overcome this year?
What is the key lesson you have learned?
Having ambition to succeed in an incredible profession like IP is amazing, until it turns into relentless striving. Let 2026 be the year when you celebrate your wins, acknowledge your successes and take a moment to let your emotions catch up with your progress. Give yourself permission to pause within a profession that rarely stops.
