Slow Down
Putting Your Foot On Life’s Brake…
There is more to life than increasing its speed. – Mahatma Gandhi
Gandhi was right.
There is more to life than increasing its speed…
So why then are we so addicted to it?
Days, weeks, months and years pass by at a breakneck pace.
Slaves to our to-do list, we are busy, busy, busy.
We rush from one thing to the next, our calendars are completely full and overbooked.
How many times have you heard someone say “I don’t have time.” “Things are crazy busy.” “I'll get back to you when things are less chaotic.”
Of course, we never find the time. We never get less busy. Things are never less chaotic.
It’s only when we get sick–when we are forced to slow down–that we step off this frantic merry-go-round.
Being busy is the new currency–a social status symbol–by which we measure success.
The assumption is that busy people are important people.
No one will ever question why you are so busy but they will raise their eyebrows if you’re not busy.
But have you ever stopped to think about why?
Why are you attached to being a ‘doing’ whirling dervish?
Why, when there isn’t a mile-high stack of tasks to do, you start to feel uncomfortable or even anxious?
For starters, busyness feeds our self-worth. We are proud of our jam-packed calendar. We feel validated that we are in such high demand.
Since for so many of us, ‘busyness’ is synonymous with productivity (and lack of busyness is equated with laziness), all that ‘doing’ makes us feel accomplished.
But there’s a huge cost to this self-validation. When we fill every minute focusing on external goals, we ignore our internal struggles or fears.
‘Doing’ trumps self-discovery: exploring and understanding what is truly important to us.
Bottom line?
We are afraid of what will happen (or what we will have to face) if we slow down.
It’s time to rethink our ‘crazy busy’ lifestyles.
Create awareness around your lists of ‘must-dos’ and ask yourself if they really make you happy:
Does this way of life really nourish you?
Are you thriving?
Do you feel daily joy?
If the answer is no to any of the above, it’s time to give yourself permission to press the Off button every once in a while.
Be purposeful with your time.
Remember that the opposite of busyness isn’t laziness or emptiness. It’s purpose.
Being busy is letting others control your time.
Being purposeful is being in the driver’s seat.
Commit to taking some ‘me time’ every day.
“Marie Kondo” your schedule, creating open space on your calendar.
You can start with a short amount of time—even 15 minutes.
Give it a try.
Shift your paradigm from being busy to being purposeful, more thoughtful and intentional in how you spend your time.
You won’t be disappointed.