When you begin slowly, something subtle happens. The hands, the breathing, the thoughts — all begin to move in harmony. The task no longer feels like a burden to be conquered but a process to be entered. If, on the other hand, you rush, the initial burst of energy fades quickly, leaving only strain and frustration in its wake.

I am somewhat sceptical of workers who are too fervent. Ideally, throughout the work, one should remain in good spirits — neither overly excited nor upset but calm and good-natured.

The worker who starts too sharply soon becomes exhausted. His movements lose precision, his judgment falters, and the quality of his work declines. Fatigue is not a sign of diligence here, but of imbalance — a warning that the pace was wrong from the start.

For demanding physical work, these breaks should be frequent and restorative — a chance to sit down, breathe, and allow the body to recover. For lighter tasks, pauses may be fewer, but they should still come regularly, like small intervals in music.