Three Ways To Help You Slow Down
It’s October (October!) next week — time just doesn’t seem to slow down, does it? How can we make the most of time when it seems to be moving faster than ever?
I find myself having a very similar conversation with people these days. “Can you believe it’s almost October?” “Where has this year gone?” “It feels like I was 20 only yesterday.” As we grow older, it seems as though time only speeds up. With October quickly approaching, I’ve been asking myself why that is. Why is it that, when I was younger, days seemed longer? Back when I was a kid my days were abundantly full — school, sports, games with friends, playing outside, homework… even naps were squeezed in. Nowadays, I’m lucky if I get to even ponder the idea of a nap.
So how, how do we get back to the days of fun without feeling the pressure of time rushing by? How can we feel fulfilled each day without feeling burnt out? How can we slow down?
Be self-aware. There are moments when I find myself so deep into social media or a website that, in what feels like seconds, time has completely disappeared…I’m all-consumed by a digital rabbit hole. Or, and I hate to admit it, I’ll watch episode after episode of a Netflix series and, before I notice it, hours of my day are lost. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s healthy to zone out sometimes, but I also believe we lose awareness of ourselves and what we’re actually doing. When we become self-aware, we have the ability to choose to do something different with our time. Self-awareness has the potential to be a catalyst for allowing us to savor our time, minute by minute.
Hustle, don’t hurry. A friend recently made the point that, in life, we sometimes find ourselves hurrying from one place to another. These “places” differ yet all share a common link. For me, at various times in my life, it’s included my career, relationships, accomplishments or location. When we hurry, we tend to run past things because we’re so fixated on leaving our current situation. Hurrying is moving for the sole purpose of moving. Hurrying means running away. Hustle, however, means you’re running toward something. Hustle is applying yourself. Hustle has a lasting goal. There’s a fine line between the two, so it’s important to remain honestly self-aware.
Unplug. We talk a lot about unplugging here on the blog, but I really can’t emphasis the importance of detoxing from the static of everyday life. Work, bills, a packed social calendar, technology…it’s all day, every day, and it can take its toll. So I suggest setting aside just ten minutes during the day to unplug from the static. Use that time to explore your heart, ponder your feelings, ask yourself honest questions, set your intentions…meditate. It will give you a clearer sense of self and slow your pace.
+Does anyone else echo my feelings about time rushing by? How are you trying to slow down?
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