Have you noticed the last time you had a slow moment? In today’s times, where everything has accelerated, there now seems to be a trend to find a slower pace somewhere in the middle of our busy lives. Yoga studios are popping up in every suburb, mindfulness is promoted on colouring books and many book covers, personal development workshops and webinars abound, mobile phones go on flight mode outside airplanes, people are moving away from big cities to find a more relaxed lifestyle.
We have started to go too far into overdrive, overactivity, overchoice and overgoals, that life is naturally starting to correct our trajectory. You may see many people not showing a single sign of slowing down, but when you look at the bigger picture you will see all the little dots that points to this new shift the other way. As we as human beings are made of balance and seek to restore it when we lose it. We now need places to retreat, recharge and breathe. Places to catch up so we can front up to the next wave. Holidays used to do this, but there aren’t sufficient anymore as technology follows us like a shadow there too.
So where are you on this trend? Are you still pushing forward at 100 miles an hour, letting the exhilarating feeling and the busyness do the carrying? Are you feeling the pinch deep down, and desperately looking for a few slow inches in the patchwork of your life, but not sure how? Are you already building some little oasis of peace into your life? Think about what your body & mind need right now. Then see how you can make it happen in your daily life. Trust me, it is possible for absolutely everybody.
I like to call it building a ‘slow hour’ in your day everyday. It can be technically less than an hour, as little as 15 minutes actually. You can also get it in several chunks throughout your day if your prefer. But it’s the idea that you carve it intentionally in your day, or else it just will never happen and you will feel the need for it for way more than an hour. So what does it look like? It is so versatile, and really depends on you. The only common rule is that it slows you down. It slows down your nervous system, which in turns helps your physical body relax. That alone can help you be healthier and ill less often. And I am not advocating doing this alongside another ’10 key things’ or another magic box of tools to do everyday to achieve balance or calm. That is all I believe that is really required to make a difference.
Here are some examples that are super easy to implement & that can be squeezed in even with a family life:
- a hot bath or long shower with a few spa products
- lying down or sitting in a comfy chair listening to a guided relaxation track (You Tube has hundreds for whatever duration you want)
- going for a walk around the neighbourhood or your workplace, without anything to listen to
- turning your devices off at 9pm and reading a magazine or a book
- attending a yoga class
- listening to relaxing music whilst tidying up or driving
- sitting down with a coffee instead of running with a take-away
- having a little sneaky nap on the couch
- having a lazy wake-up, leaving others in charge or kids in front of the TV
It may sound obvious or just too dreamy for some, but actually it is very easy once you have made the decision to carve the time. That’s the crack of it. You allowing yourself to do something relaxing first, before diving into a huge to-do-list, a mountain of dishes or picking up your child. Nothing bad will happen if you carve out that time, that is my promise to you. Get it in, and you will feel so much better for it afterwards.
So what’s your slow hour made of today? How can you build it in? Start small, even with just 15 minutes, and see the result on your mood, productivity and general sense of happiness. Then it will become more and more automatic and you won’t have to think too much about making it happen. You might be really surprised to see what this little slow space in your day brings to the surface for you. The ideas or dreams that arise again, or some personal needs starting to express themselves. This could be a great discovery exercise, as you reconnect a bit more with yourself.
My advice is just to try it, and see what impact it has on your life. You never know, it might become a common practice too in the workplace in a couple of years! Enjoy your slow hour, let me know in the comments what it looks like for you. If you are a slow hour expert, that is amazing so please share as well so we can all get inspired. And then good luck with your lively, colourful and valuable days that make life such a great adventure.
