Many of us move, work and live at breakneck speeds, often to our detriment. We create or participate in accidents, we make mistakes, we create stress in ourselves and others, we create tension and illness in our bodies, and we simply don’t do our best work in that state. It’s true that my favorite business magazine ironically is “Fast Company”, but I’m also a fan of the Slow Food movement which started over 30 years ago now.
The truth is we do have enough time and we can get everything done — just not all at once. And when we slow down, set our priorities, and are calm and fully focused on whatever we’re working on at the moment, we are in a more relaxed state which increases our productivity while maintaining our sanity. Our creativity is enhanced — we can see solutions to problems or challenges we couldn’t if we didn’t slow down and allow our mind to noodle on some options with perspective. You can actually increase your productivity, reduce your stress levels and improve your relationships when you allow yourself to slow down…….and smell the roses (!)
There are several good articles that cover this topic online — here’s one to get you started: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/slow-new-fast-sometimes-you-should-down-speed-up-michael-baer
So slow down, lighten up and enjoy yourself a little more; don’t be so serious, much of what you stress about when you speed up just doesn’t matter in the scheme of things. Time is fleeting; slow down enough to enjoy the simple pleasures in life, and savor what truly matters to you.
