A few weeks ago, I was scrolling through my Instagram stories when I came across a quote “It is not your life’s work to fill every moment of your day with something to do”. Those words hit home for me, and I’ve been thinking about them ever since.
There are many days in a week (especially at this time of the year) where I feel like I am racing around from task-to-task, with twenty-five different tabs open in my brain, trying to complete my daily to-do list. Multiple articles have dubbed millennials as ‘the burnout generation’. We live in a time where we are convinced that we always need to be busy and productive. We are constantly bombarded with messages that tell us that we need to do more, be more, and go to more places.
Image by Carl Heyerdahl on Unsplash
On top of that, many people feel guilty about stopping to relax, and do nothing at all (here is an interesting article about guilt-tripping ourselves). We are taught that to rush, late nights, and manic productivity is just the way of life. Personally, whenever I am in a stretch of time with a stressful amount of university work, or other commitments, I struggle to make time for myself without feeling guilty about the work I am not doing. This guilt is a feeling that I am actively trying to outgrow.
Here’s the thing: slowing down is actually highly beneficial. In fact, known as the “incubation effect” – rest increases your creativity as ceasing to focus on a project gives your subconscious permission to work. Your brain depends on downtime to process data, consolidate memory, and reinforce learning (another article about learning to do nothing). As the blog, Me and Orla, puts it “living slowly means stopping the glorification of ‘busy’; realising that the stuff we do when we aren’t working or doing chores is the stuff that really matters”
Now, here are a few ways to step out of the constant rush and work a bit more ‘slow time’ into your life.
- Don’t wake up to your phone screens
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I know it is easier said than done to not to reach for your phone as soon as you open your eyes and do a quick scroll through your socials. Starting the day without first exposing yourself to what the world was up to while you were asleep can set you up for a much calmer entry into the day. I have found that even just avoiding social media for the first hour of my day makes me feel so much more collected and provides me with a lasting sense of calm. How you start your day matters, and trust me, Instagram can wait!
- Make time to get outside
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This one has been a game-changer for me. Of course, I cannot walk up a mountain every day, but even if it is just choosing to walk to middle-campus, instead of taking a Jammie, or walking my dogs around the neighborhood in the evening – fresh air really does wonders for allowing your brain to slow down. It doesn’t matter how short it is, unplug and get outside, and you will find that everything else will make much more sense after that.
- Schedule quiet time
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In just the same way as you schedule in time for all the tasks you need to complete in a week, quiet time needs to be regarded as just as important, and worthy of prioritization. That time may look different for each person. Whether it be meditation, a walk, talking to a loved one, sitting down for evening meals or reading for half an hour before bed – all forms of quiet are valid. Personally, regardless of whatever else I do in a day, I like to wake up 15 minutes earlier than I need to, and sit on my couch with some tea while the world wakes up, and I put my thoughts in order.
- Write it down
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At the beginning of the year, I began to feel like everything was moving too fast, and the weeks were rushing by without me being present in them. So, I started a daily practice of writing down a list of the little, noteworthy things in each day – whether it was a task I had completed, a friend who had made me laugh, or an over-arching feeling that had characterized my mood for the day. These quick, daily reflections have made me really engage with the moments I find myself in, and they make me realise how much actually goes on in a week. So, if you want to slow it down; write it out.
I hope you can find a way to work these tips into your own life. Especially after exams, it is so vital to find some time to recalibrate your rhythms and rejuvenate your soul. So, in case you haven’t heard it from anyone else, I’m here to tell you: you are allowed to slow down and take life at your own pace.