Editor’s Note: As they have for the last couple of years, your summer Pause messages will feature the ‘Best of Pause. These GEMS are readers’ favorite messages from earlier years. Whether you are a long time subscriber, or new to our list, I hope you enjoy them all. After Labor Day, your Pause messages will once again feature all new info and resources.

P.S. – Also, be sure to scan right to the end of this message. You’ll want to be sure to catch the details on my Canada 150 Summer Art Project and the unique Provinces of Canada paintings on offer each week. This week – Ontario.

REFLECTION & ACTION: More than one study has confirmed that backlogs are an everyday fact of life in today’s overcommitted workplaces – not to mention on the home and community fronts. Despite the fact that we have an inordinate number of irons in the fire at any one time, that doesn’t seem to prevent us from adding more.

Personally, I’ve got a tall stack of books waiting for my attention. That hasn’t stopped me from firing off orders to Amazon or Chapters for yet another interesting volume or two.

I’ve got a number of articles partly written, and program ideas partially developed. That doesn’t stop me from grabbing another scrap of paper and scratching out a few thoughts about yet another fresh idea.

Over the years, I’ve registered a number of web domain names that seemed like an inspired idea at the time, and then let them languish for lack of attention.

Anything similar happen to you?

When we talk about streamlining our life and work activities, a fair amount of attention and lip service is paid to what we could stop doing.

Maybe it’s time to ask a different question. What might we stop starting? Or to phrase this a tad more dramatically: Is this a fire that needs to be lit?

One strategy for lightening the load could be as simple as sitting on possible projects, purchases and directions for a few days to see whether the possibility really has legs or whether it is destined to dangle as yet another of life’s loose ends.

If we can identify those ideas that blaze one day and fade the next, we could shorten our lists and lighten our loads by not granting them space in the first place.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK: I resolved to stop accumulating and begin the infinitely more serious and difficult task of wise distribution. – Andrew Carnegie (I’m pretty sure Carnegie was referring to his money, but this could apply equally as well to accumulating commitments and allotting attention.)

Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending. – Author Unknown

I had to stop driving my car for a while… the tires got dizzy. – Stephen Wright

RESOURCE OF THE WEEK: You might find some more helpful ideas in this article from the Time Management Ninja: Six Ways To Protect Yourself From Overload.

CANADA 150 SUMMER ART PROJECT: In honor of our country’s 2017 anniversary celebrations, I’m delighted to introduce my very own Canada 150 Art Project. I’ve created one painting to honor each province – all ten of which I’ve had the joy of visiting over the years.

One unique provincial landscape, seascape or streetscape will be featured here at the end of the each of the summer GEMS messages. Ten paintings are up for grabs – one for each province – and one each week.

This week’s offering features Ontario. Read on for what you need to know to make this painting yours.

Each painting is 8” x 10” in size and although it’s not shown here, each one will arrive mounted in a double white mat bringing the outer dimensions to 11” x 14” – ready to pop into a standard frame of your own choosing.

The price for each painting will be $150 (taxes included) plus $15 for shipping to anywhere in Canada.

Each painting will arrive with a written commentary on a few of my memories of that particular province.

If you are looking for a unique remembrance of Canada 150, and you’ve always wanted to buy an original watercolor from the Pauseworks Studio, here’s your chance.

Just send me an email message with the words ‘Canada 150 – I’ll Take It’ in the subject line. The first reader to call dibs on each week’s masterpiece takes it.  Good luck and Happy Canada 150.