Crikey, you spend nearly 10 minutes per map playing in pause mode? I do use pause mode here and there - especially at the beginning of maps for strategic play, but I doubt I actually play a map for more than a minute in pause mode.
Still! A lot of it depends on the kind of player you are. I've seen that Octan has been a difficult level for some people, yet I breezed through it first time. All about the strategy I guess!
Good for you. I have found that making decisions, building units and placing them while paused shaves my time substantially.