When you think about slowness or being relaxed, especially in animals, chances are you’ll think about a sloth. Sloths are very calm; not only physically, but also mentally. They live without worries, so they can have a more productive life, feel better and do things the right way. They say that, if you follow the sloth philosophy, you will have a happier life. Here are three reasons why we should all become sloths.
- The SLOW Method
According to Jennifer McCartney, in her book The Little Book of Sloth Philosophy, it’s very important to slow down on your daily basis to be nice to yourself. That’s why she divides the SLOW method in the following steps:
- Sleeping in: People forget about the importance of sleeping the necessary amount of hours to recover energies, and maintain a healthy immune system and overall physical health. In order to achieve this, make sure you get the appropriate amount of sleep you need to function and get through the day without feeling sleepy or groggy in the process. Pro tip: focus on sleeping like a sloth.
- Leaving your phone at home: If you’re running across the street for three minutes, leave your phone at home; if you’re at home, put it on airplane mode for a little while, McCartney recommends. It’s important for you to disconnect from an extended world and let yourself breathe from time to time.
- Opt out: Forget about the idea that every day, at all times, you have to be productive or compromised to accomplish an important task. During these days, in which you are feeling like you’re nothing because you’re not doing anything, you’re actually taking care of your mental health, McCartney assures. Even between all the daily responsibilities you have, be like a sloth; don’t always complicate yourself.
- What’s the rush?: McCartney tells you to ask this multiple times to yourself when you feel like you’re about to die! There are things that need to be rushed, but your energy should not be completely depleted in order to finish a single everyday task. Instead of sprinting towards the finish line at all costs, place all of your priorities on the table, and then think about what merits a hurry and what doesn’t.
2. Health and self-care
Like a sloth, you can be healthy while simultaneously being completely stress-free or trying to fulfill expectations. In order for you to be healthy, you don’t have to do hardcore excercise, be in a diet or have an excellent body, according to the standards that most companies present. McCartney says that, in fact, slowing down like sloths actually has its benefits. This means that walking, doing yoga or similar practices are good for your health. Also, it reduces your stress from everything, knowing that, while being slow, there are less chances for you to be harmed.
Furthermore, being healthy is accepting that everyone is different and that is what makes you special. That’s why you need to think of yourself, have some time alone, let go of things that don’t do you good, think for yourself and love who you are under all circumstances!
3. Love and Relax
Enjoy life and entertain yourself by doing other things besides consuming social media content or other kinds of mediums like television. Do things that slow you down such as reading, listening to nature, enjoying different types of art, like McCartney mentions, or simply breathing.
Worry about your happiness and how what you do makes you feel. Give love without boundaries, and avoid setting strict expectations regarding everything you do and everything that surrounds yourself. Loving makes you feel full and joyful, and for that, sometimes you need to stop, think, slow down and be like a sloth!
Go ahead and check out The Little Book of Sloth Philosophy by Jennifer McCartney, so you can have a thorough explanation of why and how to live like a sloth makes you happier.