This article originally appeared in HBR - republished with permission.

More than half of Americans feel “overworked or overwhelmed at least some of the time”.

70% say “they often dream of having a different job,” according to a recent study by the Families and Work Institute.

That’s a lot of unhappy people at work, and many of them may choose to resign. But my research shows that quitting can be premature; what you might need to do instead is pause and recalibrate.

Chances are that if you were to jump into a new role or organization, whatever is causing you to leave may follow you.

Taking a pause — which I define as any intentional shift in behavior — allows you to lift your head up, assess your situation objectively, and change your attitude, thoughts, or emotions.

It doesn’t have to be a major break in your routine; it might be that after you get home from for work, you intend to spend 20 minutes of quality time with a partner or loved one. Or you intend to show up fully present every morning at the office by taking six deep breaths before you walk in. Even small pauses can help.

Here are some signs that you may need to work more pauses into your life:

  • You used to love your job and now you loathe it. Perhaps you used to thrive on the pressure of your role but it no longer seems worth it. Or maybe you’re in a slump. Burnout is a signal to take note of what isn’t working and make a change.
  • Someone informs you things aren’t working out. It may be a hint in the hallway or a direct hit — you missed your quota or the new strategy you developed backfired.
  • A concerned family member or colleague intervenes to separate you from work or technology. It’s easy to get hooked on what you do, but when it starts to affect your well-being and relationships, those who care about you notice.
  • A major life event or challenge occurs. Change is inevitable, and can be a natural inflection point to assess your options and align with what matters to you.
  • A new opportunity arises. An irresistible job offer or an invite for a passion project or trip comes along. You may need to take a pause to find out how serious you are about setting course on a new path, especially if it is high risk.

Once you’ve determined that you need to pause, the next question is how to do it. A common misconception is that you take a break so that you can think something through.In some cases it is helpful to reflect while pausing and ask yourself questions you haven’t had time to ask yourself in your busy life.

What could you do differently? How can you shift or plan to make your existing role more aligned with how you want to work and live? Are there new boundaries to create, or responsibilities to own or shift? But the purpose is actually to step away from your everyday activities and not focus on what’s dominating your thoughts. Instead, it can be best to just relish the present moment, not reflect on any specific issues, and let answers emerge.

There are three steps for planning a pause.

First, write down some quick thoughts on your situation – what’s happening, what isn’t working, what the challenges are, and any actions you want to take.

Next, set an intention. What do you want to get out of this pause and how do you want to feel at the end of it? One study published in Psychological Science showed that by distancing yourself from a challenge and taking the perspective of an observer, you can enhance your reasoning, leading to insights and new solutions that hadn’t occurred to you before.

The third step is to plan how much time you’ll pause for and what you’ll do. You may not know how you want to spend your time so it’s also OK to let your pause to unfold more organically. Daily “mini” pauses, sometimes done several times throughout the day, are a great way to start if things aren’t dire at work. You can also pause by getting up from your desk every 90 minutes, heading outside at lunch, taking a walk, or setting a period of time when you don’t check your digital devices. If you are really short on time, you might spend five minutes at your desk doing a simple breathing exercise: follow your breath, counting each slow inhale and exhale until you get to ten breaths.

A pause can also be a day-long activity. Visit a place that brings peace of mind and joy to your day. Wherever you go, notice colors, textures, and take in your surroundings. You might consider starting a “pausebook” or journal to document what you experience.

Other pauses might include doing something outside of your comfort zone like taking a class, coaching your child’s sports team, or going a surprise weekend getaway or day trip with a loved one.

If you have more time, consider taking a week-long pause. Most of us understand the benefits of taking a vacation and yet many of us don’t use the time, afraid of work piling up while we’re gone.

According to a 2015 survey by the Creative Staffing Group, 72% of executives wouldn’t take additional vacation days even if they were unlimited, however about four in 10 (39%) think output would actually increase if employees took more time off. The benefits of returning refreshed after pausing are worth the time away and often lead to greater creativity and less stress. Increased distraction and dopamine levels can actually help lead to new insights, according to neuroscience research.

If you’re considering leaving your job, I invite you to pause first and explore how things could be different without moving on. If you are feeling burned out or overwhelmed, taking an extended pause over a few weeks is another option that might help you gain perspective outside your day-to-day routine.

You may be pleasantly surprised and realize all you needed was an intentional shift to realign and experience things differently.

Rachael O’Meara is the author of Pause: Harnessing the Life-Changing Power of Giving Yourself a Break. She is also a sales executive at Google and a transformational leadership coach who assists others in fulfilling their potential. Rachael is hosting a 90-min workshop (Power of Pause: Five Keys to Avoid Burnout and Expand Your Capacity as an Agent of Change) during Innov8rs LA, 19-22 June 2018.