In a world in which we are constantly moving, how it can be beneficial to do things the “slow” way
Our world has been made so easy for us, making it certain that we only have to spend minutes of our day on tasks that used to consume our lives. This can be a good thing in some ways: household chores, like laundry and dishes, being mechanized may allow people to spend more time with family or just generally enrich their lives. We no longer have to hunt down or forage for our food, instead fulfilling that need with a quick trip to the grocery store. However, the gaps that we have created by making tasks of survival so easy can be difficult to fill, and many people find themselves spending that time on their phones or consuming media that others have created, rather than creating something for themselves. This means that many people end their days with very little to show for it. Life slips by us quickly when we are constantly moving on to the next thing, distracted by our phones, not allowing ourselves time for introspection.
Tasks that we have been doing since the beginning of time have not only actually been made quicker, but we have also created ways to trick ourselves into thinking that even the more deliberate tasks we must do are going by less slowly. Many people watch TV while they eat, cook or clean. People scroll on their phones when stopped at crosswalks or take phone calls while walking to their next location to fill every moment of their time. This constant need for our brains to be occupied at every single second means that very rarely is our attention focused on one thing. In this manner, our whole lives can pass us by without us even noticing.
This is not to say that every second of our newly found free time needs to be productive. Rest is an important part of life, but as many people can attest to, spending hours scrolling on your phone or watching television rarely feels restful after a while. The novelty wears off, and our brains, naturally seeking stimulation, will cling to the false enrichment that the flashing lights, bright colors and quick movement from topic to topic that our phones provide us to satisfy our shortening attention spans. Our brains are enamored with this not just because technology is designed to be addictive, but because we are often not participating in activities that are actually fulfilling and supportive of a thriving lifestyle.
The way we can make our lives something to appreciate and enjoy is by slowing down and doing things deliberately. If you feel your life slipping by too quickly without your permission, the next time you have to cook dinner, or do the dishes, or clean your room, try doing it while just focusing on the task at hand. When you have to walk 20 minutes to class, try walking without headphones or your phone in your hand. What we should notice, by doing things more purposefully and with more focus, is that we often have more time than we give ourselves credit for. And maybe, if we have the time and resources, we can use that time to contribute to the world and our own personal thriving by doing something meaningful rather than detrimental and unrewarding.