Slow down, take a breath, and be present
I have fallen victim to staying at a rushed pace even when there’s no reason to be in a high-stress state. I had this realization when I was getting ready for bed. It was early, and I had nothing else going on afterward, but I noticed that I was somehow speeding through every task as if it were a race. I was tense, and something that should have been calming after a long day was somehow unenjoyable. This is when I decided to try to stay present in what I’m doing while understanding when actions need to be done with urgency and when they can be done with patience. I’m going to go through the reasons why you should slow down and the subtle actions you can take to improve your peace of mind.
When in college, there are many situations where you need to be on high alert and feel rushed. This can look like exams, work and back-to-back classes. Sometimes you do need to move at a fast pace, but that’s also when it becomes easy to stay in “go mode” all the time, even in situations that don’t require it. Being in a high-stress, hurried state can increase your blood pressure and keep your cortisol levels elevated, which can leave you feeling tense, and nobody should want to live like that all the time.
Stepping back during simple tasks and taking a second to evaluate the state you’re in can ultimately improve your mental and physical health. When you’re rushing, it’s also easy to make mistakes that could be avoided by giving yourself time to be present. Lastly, the main reason I think it’s important to slow down is to better enjoy your life. If you’re always in a high-stress state, it can be easy to take good moments for granted. Slowing down makes what’s happening around you so much more enjoyable and easier to appreciate.
I’ve learned a few habits that help this action of “slowing down” feel doable even on busy days. The first, and somewhat obvious step I took was taking a second to calm down if I notice that I’m unnecessarily speeding through tasks. I try to physically unwind and relax my body so my mind can catch up so that I don’t let stress continue. That quick pause has helped me regroup and continue what I’m doing in a calmer manner. Another habit I’ve tried to pick up is finding a couple of minutes, even on busy days, to sit with my thoughts and reset. This time gives me a chance to evaluate how I’ve been moving and helps me decide what I really need to put my energy into.
To conclude, slowing down doesn’t necessarily mean doing less. It’s about letting yourself decide how you want to move throughout the day. Being present with yourself is so important because it helps prevent stress from becoming your default state. These reasons and small actions of slowing down have given me more control over how I spend my day.