Last updated on June 19th, 2023 at 07:24 pm
In a world of rush culture, slowing down to simply enjoy life as it is happening is tasking and almost impossible. Right from when the unnecessarily loud alarm jars you awake from sleep to when you hit the bed at night, you are hurried. You are in a haste to get dressed and leave the house, to lay your bed, to properly button your shirt, and you can barely sit down as you scarf down your breakfast (hopefully, you don’t stain your dress) and rush to catch a bus.
Out of our homes, we meet fellow comrades in this struggle: the man in a suit adjusting his tie while looking at his wristwatch every second; the reckless driver almost going over the speed limit as he hurries to wherever. Funnily enough, we are all so used to this mode that it’s hard to see the problem with this lifestyle. Even as I slam the keys on my keyboard while writing this, I have to remind myself to slow down.
Whether young or old, living an intentionally slow life is highly beneficial, and just by choosing to bring slowness into your life, you can:
- Better manage your emotions.
- Deeply savour every moment.
- Make better decisions.
- Commit more to and enjoy your friendships and relationships.
- Live more healthily.
- Avoid or drastically reduces the chances of burnout.
For me, the benefits are endless with the most challenging part being adopting this habit of slowness. If this is your aim, here are some simple ways to get on this track:
Wake up early:
This can come off as faux enthusiasm and I understand why, but really it gives you a leg up… you can savour the first few moments of the morning, get the extra time to do your makeup or journal, or just do what you really like rather than just waking up and going out. By waking up early, you can plan your day ahead and choose to be more deliberate.
Practice punctuality:
Tardiness easily puts you in a space where you feel rushed and disoriented. To live a slower life, you want to practice being an early bird both to important and less important events. This means that instead of sitting and binge-watching a show only to start preparing for an outing about thirty minutes before the time, you set a goal of arriving at the event about five minutes earlier. This way, you factor in all that is involved and find ways to mitigate them so that you don’t have to rush (and then you spill water on the only ironed shirt you have, hit your chin with a mopstick as you try to dry the floor—now you’re late and frustrated).
Prepare ahead:
Another way to set yourself up for success with this habit is to always prepare. Anticipate your needs and choose a day of the week to make certain preparations. For instance, some prefer to do their meal prep on Sundays. Instead of rushing to iron your clothes before going to work, you can choose to iron some clothes on Saturdays. Preparation makes you feel more organised, consequently, you’re able to avoid feeling rushed.
Honour your routine:
To do this, you must first have a routine. A routine is a set of daily to-dos that work for you and fit your current lifestyle—a successful routine needs to be flexible. If you run a night shift, your routine would be significantly different from someone with a morning shift. In the same vein, a father’s routine has to be different from a childfree man’s routine. Once your realistic daily routine has been set, you want to stick to them like a life jacket.
Remember to breathe:
This can drastically change your hurried approach to situations. When you’re briskly walking, see if you can sense how tense you feel, then breathe—a deep calming breath. You want to ask yourself if you’re truly out of time. Do you really need to get to your destination in the shortest time possible even though you still have a lot of time to spare? Do you really have to gulp down a bottle of water in under two seconds or is it better to take slow sips? Take a deep breath, in through your nose, and don’t forget to exhale.
Remember your why:
Hastiness is a feature of the hustle culture and it’s not surprising that you may get sucked right back into it, which is why you need to remember your “why.” Why is it important for you to live a slower life? Is it for health reasons? Has the doctor told you to get more rest and reduce your stress? Is it because you strongly believe that you don’t need to wait for a doctor’s diagnosis before you take action? Is it because you just feel the nudge?
As the rush culture becomes more pervasive and people struggle to be as efficient as machines, it’s important to know that the body keeps the score. We want to type faster, talk faster, produce more results, get instant outcomes, eat five-minute meals, and essentially become superhuman, but if you have found a reason to slow down, lean into it without hesitation. Start with a little commitment and enjoy life!
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