Is using a comma as a pause correct?

More often than not, I find myself using a comma as sort of a pause. In most cases, it feels right. But I fear that I overuse commas and put them in places where they are not necessary.

Some examples:

• Both of which, are valid.

• I was going to go to work but, I felt sick.

I find myself using commas after words like "but" or "then". Most reference works I've consulted have defined these commas as a preference. Am I completely wrong here? Am I overusing commas and confusing my readers?

Any additional documentation on commas of this type would be greatly appreciated.

Solution 1:

Neither of your examples holds water. People don’t usually use pauses where you’ve placed the commas here, unless trying to overdramatize, and then a comma is still not the correct way to indicate it in writing. For a dramatic pause you would use an m-dash, or an ellipsis. There may be exceptions, but I can’t think of any.

In an email to tell your boss that you weren’t coming in to work due to illness, you wouldn’t pause after but – if you were to pause, it would be after work.

In direct answer to your closing question, if your examples of how you’ve been using them are a fair sample, then yes you are overusing or misplacing commas.

I would suggest this source as a place for guidance on commas: Rules for Comma Usage.

Solution 2:

You may not use a comma in either of those cases, but you may do so if they were something similar to:

...both of which, I have discovered, are valid.
I was about to go to work, but I called in sick.

The first one is a common enough usage that indicates a break to provide additional information. The second one has a comma because but is at the beginning of an independent clause.

Another example would be:

My husband, John Miller, is an engineer.