The clubhead definitely pauses (when the backward momentum and the forward reach a balance and lag is loaded, or neither is present and no lag is loaded) at the top before coming down (when the forward overpowers the backward), but your intention shouldn't.
A clubhead pauses with nothing loaded (or no lag) can be subjected to instability the easiest, regardless of the time it is allowed to avoid one.
Concerning time, etc.... What do you think of the Tour Tempo concept. I believe this is based on the idea that nearly all good players swing with a 3:1 Ratio, or some variation of that ratio. They get the whole thing done much faster than most people would believe, they are just so smooth and efficient, that they APPEAR to be slower than they actually are.