"I grew up in an environment where burnout wasn’t something people talked about. In a military family, admitting stress or vulnerability wasn’t encouraged. Later, as a corporate professional and then a solo founder across four companies, I experienced firsthand what happens when pressure is constant and recovery is never prioritised. You keep going because others depend on you, but the stress builds quietly until it is impossible to ignore.

Over the years, I learned how to rebuild clarity, regulate stress and maintain performance without sacrificing my health. Pausa is the result of that journey -> a way to offer other leaders the tools, the space I wish I had much earlier. Today, the demands on founders and executives are higher than ever, and mental resilience directly shapes decision quality, team stability and long-term outcomes.

Pausa is built on evidence-based methods grounded in neuroscience, behavioural science and internationally recognized health guidelines. Our aim is simple: to help leaders stay clear-minded, steady and effective before stress turns into burnout."

A Personal Note

My mission. My passion. My cause

Yaroslav Derevianko

Co-founder of Pausa

LinkedIn

Pausa:

A science-based proactive mental health program for leaders

A structured 3-day nervous system resets in nature, followed by a 12-month integration program, designed to restore mental clarity, reduce stress, improve focus, and prevent performance fatigue.

Pausa is for leaders who are always on — juggling between partners, teams, investors, clients, and family — while silently carrying the weight of pressure, digital overload, and decision fatigue.

Core Experience

A 3-day digital detox (no phones) in nature is not a luxury; it's a profound physiological intervention. It down-regulates the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) nervous system, increases Heart Rate Variability (HRV)- the biomarker for stress resilience - and restores the brain's capacity for deep, strategic thinking.

A few facts about benefits of nature and digital detox:

• Spending 3 days in nature can improve your cognitive function by 50% [Source].

• 72 hours in a cabin in nature can reduce stress levels by 70% [Source].

Phase I: Pausa Reset

• Intimate by design: "We host a maximum of 6 leaders at a time. This isn't a crowded conference. It's a private, focused environment for deep work."

The Pausa Location:

1.5h from Lisbon, six private cabins immersed in nature

• Designed for rest: "Each cabin is free of digital distractions. No TVs, no Wi-Fi. Just a comfortable bed, a journal, and the sound of nature."

• Space to connect: "Our communal space is where we gather for workshops, share meals, and engage in guided conversations."

A typical 3-Day Pausa Reset

A 3-day experience to slow down, reset your nervous system, and reconnect with clarity.

Day 1 — Arrive & Slow Down

• 16:00 · Arrival & Check-in
  Phone lockbox, herbal tea, settle into your cabin

• 17:30 · Welcome circle
  Meet your guide and fellow participants

• 18:30 · Shared dinner (prepared by Martin)

• 20:00 · Evening breath & grounding practice

Day 2 — Reset & Breathe

• 08:30 · Morning movement / Breath practice

• 09:00 · Silent breakfast (prepared by Martin)

• 10:00 · Guided session (e.g., awareness or focus)

• 11:00–13:00 · Free time in nature / Journaling

• 13:00-14:00 · Shared lunch (prepared by Martin)

• 16:00 · Optional workshop (emotions, habits, or leadership themes)

• 18:00 · Dinner (prepared by Martin)

• 20:00 · Evening reflection practice

You will leave with:

• A clearer mind and calmer body

• Your personalized micro-habit plan

• A fresh connection to self and nature

• A nourishing reset - the first step into the Pausa Circle

Day 3 — Integrate & Go Forward

• 08:30 · Morning movement

• 09:00 · Breakfast

• 10:00 · Final circle: Define your 3 tiny habits

• 12:00 · Closing meal (prepared by Martin)

• 13:00–15:00 · Pack, walk, gentle departure

After the Reset, participants enter a year-long cohort of impact-driven leaders in Lisbon.

A small, carefully curated group of impact-driven leaders in Lisbon who:

• meet periodically

• support each other's integration into real life

• share openly, without performance

• grow together over time

This is not networking.
It is a trusted peer environment for leaders who usually carry things alone.

Pausa Circle is ongoing — before, between, and after any reset.

Phase II: The Pausa Circle

A trusted peer community

An Open Invitation

If this resonates, I would love to personally invite you to explore Pausa — starting with a conversation.

If now is not the right moment, you are welcome to stay connected through our quiet leadership newsletter — where we share short reflections and science-based practices for modern leaders.