Pacing – The Most Overlooked Mental Health Skill
By the time January reaches its final stretch, many people are tired in a way that sleep does not fix.
Not dramatic exhaustion, just a low level weariness. The kind that makes everything feel slightly harder than it should. In a culture that prizes speed and productivity, this tiredness is often treated as a problem to overcome rather than a signal to listen to.
Pacing is rarely talked about as a mental health skill, but it may be one of the most important.
Pacing is not about doing less forever. It is about doing what is sustainable. It means adjusting effort to capacity rather than demand. It means recognising that bodies and minds have limits, especially in winter.
Behavioural science consistently shows that small, repeatable actions are more likely to stick than intense bursts of effort. This is particularly true during periods of stress, low mood or fatigue. When people try to overhaul everything at once, dropout rates rise sharply.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy works with this reality rather than against it. Values based living is not about heroic change. It is about consistent orientation. You keep moving in the same direction, even if the steps are small and sometimes slow.
Pacing protects this process. It prevents burnout. It allows space for rest without guilt. It acknowledges that stopping and starting again is part of change, not a failure of it.
In January, pacing often means lowering expectations rather than abandoning values. Choosing walking speed rather than sprinting. Letting a short walk be enough. Letting one boundary be enough. Letting today be today.
This is deeply connected to self compassion. Without compassion, pacing can feel like weakness. With compassion, it feels like wisdom.
A meaningful life rarely unfolds at full speed. It unfolds over time, through repetition, adjustment and patience.
If January feels heavy, it may not be a motivation problem. It may be a pacing problem. And that is something that can be worked with.
Dr. Richard Pomfret
About the Author
Dr. Richard Pomfret is a HCPC-registered Counselling Psychologist and founder of Therapy On The Hill. He works with adults experiencing a range of emotional and psychological difficulties, offering evidence-based therapy in a compassionate and collaborative way.
Contact
If you’d like to learn more about therapy or enquire about working together, you can contact Richard at:
richard@therapyonthehill.com
www.therapyonthehill.com
Important Note
The content of this blog is for information and reflection only and is not a substitute for professional psychological assessment or therapy.
Mental Health Emergency
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or feel at risk of harming yourself or others, please seek immediate support.
In the UK, contact your GP, call NHS 111, or go to your nearest A&E
In an emergency, call 999
You can also contact Samaritans on 116 123 (UK & ROI), available 24/7
If you are outside the UK, please contact your local emergency services or a trusted crisis support organisation.