The Art of Slow Living (Credits: Pexels)
The hustle culture getting the best of you? We have all been there. Work deadlines, rewards on being busy, never having the time to meet your friends, or even spend time with your family; the world sees it as an achievement, but is it really?
The other side of the coin would beg to differ. What we are talking about here is Slow Living. For many it has become the best antidote to release themselves from the shackles of burnout, constant anxiety, and chase for more.
What is Slow Living all about?
It is not a fancy word for laziness or spending a vacation cruising or slacking and doing tasks at a snail’s pace. This ideology is to live with intention, in the moment, without rushing onto the next task and the next milestone. Slow living translates to a conscious decision to pause, catch a breath, reflect and enjoy life’s moments rather than treating them as tasks to tick off the list. It is about being present and not rushing through life on autopilot. It’s about quality over quantity, presence over productivity.
As the saying goes: “Nature never hurries, yet everything is accomplished.”
Why Slow Living may be the thing for you?
A fast-paced lifestyle where you are multitasking every minute may boost adrenaline but it also leads to a spike in your cortisol levels, which in turn, leads to higher levels of stress, disturbed sleep, weight gain all while disconnecting you from what your body and mind need. According to the American Psychological Association, chronic stress is one of the top causes of mental and physical health decline. In contrast to this, the concept of slow living offers a way to rewire your brain’s chemistry and train it for peace rather than rush, without derailing you from your life goals.
How to practice Slow Living daily
Here are simple yet powerful ways to bring slowness into your everyday routine:
1. Say no to screens first thing in the morning
Instead of diving deep into social media as soon as you wake up, take 10 minutes for yourself, stretch, breathe, meditate or just sip on your coffee mindfully. This small change can shift your mindset for the entire day
2. The challenge of doing one thing at a time
Multitasking is not as good for your brain as you might think it is. Studies show it reduces productivity by up to 40% because humans were actually not made to multitask. Try performing a single task at a time with your complete attention
3. Create white space time in your day
Schedule time to do absolutely nothing. No screens, no goals, just laying on the floor and watching the ceiling or sitting on the bench and looking at strangers or the clouds. You can also simply go for a walk without looking at your phone or listening to music. This space allows your mind to reset and creativity to flourish.
