Let’s face it, we’re always in a hurry. From the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep, it has become an indisputable part of our routines and daily lives to somehow always be in a rush. We either have to get something done or we try to find something that needs to be done. We, unfortunately, live in a very fast-paced world where standing still is frowned upon and time seems to be a luxury only few can afford to let slip by. We’re always working, always studying (or both), always moving, and trying to do as many things as possible with the little time we have, so much so that sometimes we forget that it’s allowed for us to slow down.
The competitive mentality pushed upon us daily within the academic and professional world is not only entirely unrealistic but also an unhealthy living standard to try and adhere to. We see someone in our academic field putting eight hours aside to study and think we aren’t doing enough for our scholastic pursuits. We see someone at work doing multiple tasks at once and think we’re lazy for only focusing on one. We constantly strive to be like others without realizing that we are slowly losing ourselves in the process. Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, but continuously trying to emulate how others go about their life only makes us forget to live our own.
Trying to slow down in a world that never stops spinning is hard, but it’s possible. Don’t let yourself be consumed with the thought that allowing yourself to rest and take things slow means you’re unproductive. You can take your time. Life itself doesn’t slow down, it’s up to us to stop and appreciate it while we still can. Yes, we can work. Yes, we can study. But sometimes we forget that we can do all those things without trying to imitate or catch up with how others do it. In the grand scheme of things, no one will reprimand you for wanting to take things little by little, following your own pace rather than trying to keep up with others. In a time when everything seems to be a race, sometimes we have to give ourselves the benefit of coming in dead last.
Plus, it’s good to slow down and take in the view once in a while!