“The pause that refreshes” was an advertising slogan created by Coca-Cola in 1929. Beyond its marketing appeal, this phrase has a powerful lesson when applied to our personal and professional lives, especially during the final stretches of a long project. After weeks—or even months—of dedication, reviewing your own work can become challenging. You’ve become overly familiar with it, revisited every detail, and may struggle to evaluate it with objectivity.

As author Paul Auster illustrates in Baumgartner, it can be incredibly helpful to temporarily set aside your project, allowing yourself to take a break. The narrator of his novel recommends putting away a manuscript for a month to six weeks. While waiting, he focuses on catching up with tasks like medical appointments, administrative responsibilities, correspondence, and other commitments he had previously postponed. When he returns to his work, it feels fresh—almost as if seeing it for the first time.

If stepping away for weeks isn’t feasible, even shorter breaks can help. Simply switching to a different task for a while can provide new perspectives. And sometimes, all you really need is a good night’s sleep. A brief pause refreshes your mind and sharpens your judgment, making it easier to finalize your project with renewed confidence.