There is another issue to some of these responses and that is the logbook, which deserves, actually requires, significant attention. It is difficult, and even a moving target, to accurately record actual flight time. The various methods of pausing all allow the flight time clock to continue counting. It appears that the use of Esc has become the preferred method to attend to other demands from life while accurately logging flight time. And now even the Esc routine is coming under fire!
What is actually needed here is a real logbook function and a logbook related pause routine. Not workarounds. Due to study time in type, with engines not even started, my Profile Logbook shows over twice the number of hours than I have actually flown. I credit Microsoft for also developing MS Excel, where I can separately be effective in logging my actual hours “in flight”. That should not be needed. Previous versions of MSFS did not present these issues.
Please allow me to let out my two pet dachshunds when they have the need, while effectively pausing both the simulator and the logbook counter. And please modify the logging routine so that only “wheels up” time is logged. Otherwise this is just a blind-to-reality video game! I am a former pilot, a retiree, and a flight simulation enthusiast!