In a world that celebrates speed, productivity, and constant movement, slowing down can feel uncomfortable, almost rebellious. We’re conditioned to believe that rest is something we have to earn, that our value is tied to how much we accomplish in a day.
But what if we started seeing slow living not as a sign of weakness, but as an act of self-care?
It’s good to practise positive self-talk or treat ourselves to something nice when we’re feeling down. But I believe that integrating small acts of self-care into day-to-day life is more effective, more sustainable.
Examine the way you move through your days, the pace you follow, and the permission you grant yourself to pause.
Think about the way we practise yoga. The real magic of yoga isn’t in how deep we fold or how steady we balance – it’s in the moments we soften, when we listen instead of force, when we let ourselves be rather than do.
Embrace Slowing Down
At this point I have to admit – I suck at this! Slowing down is a practice of trust. It’s trusting that rest is productive and that we don’t have to prove our worth by constantly striving.
And as I said, this is something I really struggle with, especially since I am self-employed and working from home. Rest feels like procrastination, which comes with a sense of guilt. Even when I am not doing paid work, I feel a compulsion to keep going. Here’s how I’ve been trying to deliberately slow down:
- Schedule rest. Sounds weird, but if you put some time aside on your calendar, it rewires the productivity-oriented brain to comply.
- Remove myself from a setting where I have things to do. Can’t worry about the dishes when I am relaxing in the hammock.
- Recognise that work is just work. In most jobs, productivity is not vital, not literally life-or-death. Certainly with my job, as much as I love what I do, I still have to prioritise my health.
- Find passive hobbies. I love crafts, and I love running, but they are still quite productive-minded. So now, I make sure to dedicate some time to reading or watching shows, without multi-tasking.
- Spend time with animals. When I need a pause, I go and pet my goats, watch my chickens, give my rabbits a treat. Works every time, and I have to say – it’s very rewarding.
If you have other ways to “trick yourself” into slowing down, please share. I need all the help I can get!
Where do we go from here?
Next time you catch yourself rushing – through your practice, through your day, through life – pause. Place a hand over your heart. Take a slow, full breath.
The world will keep spinning, deadlines will still exist, and to-do lists will keep growing. But in the midst of it all, you deserve to move at a pace that honors your well-being. Your journey to slowing down starts with a single breath, a single choice to slow down.