If you’re anything like me, you’re always searching for the most efficient steps towards wellness that will transform your life overnight. But, if you’re also anything like me still, you quickly realise that things don’t change overnight.
Like anything in life that’s worth having, good things can take time. People will too often look for quick fixes only to be disappointed sooner rather than later. So I asked myself whether there were more effective ways of slowing down and achieve a more balanced lifestyle. I asked myself, how can I take things slower? Here are some strategies I discovered.
1. Find Relaxing Hobbies
For many, hobbies are all about finding something fun and exciting that makes time fly. As a hyperactive person, this is definitely my case. But, I quickly found that this is not for everybody. Instead, I looked for the best hobbies you can do at home, which require no (or at least minimal) special or expensive equipment.
This makes the hobbies more accessible, so everyone can enjoy them while partaking at home means I could do them whenever I wanted. There was no pressure to get out of the house, and I could put things to the side if I wasn’t feeling it at that moment.
Photo by Rifqi Ali Ridho
2. Embrace JOMO
In my youth, the fear of missing out plagued many of the decisions I made. While there was plenty of fun along the way, like hanging out at a friend’s house, trying something new or travelling to a new city, there were a few too many times when I wished I’d just stayed home. Not being able to say no to opportunities and events was one of the downsides of being a full time travel blogger.
Now, as an adult, I have the autonomy and self-confidence to embrace the joy of missing out. It’s not that I’ve become a hermit; I still see friends and family regularly, but I also don’t feel compelled to leave the house, spend money, and maybe wake up with a slightly sore head. Self-care for me is spending a day at home, resting and giving my mind and body the break they deserve.
Photo by Spacejoy
3. Carve Out Me Time
If you work full-time on top of other responsibilities, such as parenting or care, you may struggle to find time to unwind. I used to feel selfish taking time for myself when I knew others needed me, but this only ends badly.
Carving out my time made a significant difference to my self-esteem and overall well-being. I don’t do it all the time but a few hours at the end of the week when I know there’s nothing else to do is the perfect time to do things I want to do, whether indulging in some Delta 9 THC or a glass of wine or catch up on some trashy TV shows.
4. Switch Off Your Devices
We’re all spending too much time looking down at our smartphones or tablets, something jumping between devices to follow two things at once. While feeling connected can make you feel closer to friends and family on the other side of the world, it also means you miss out on everything around you. Switching off gives you a chance to live in the moment, to really experience everything that is happening, without distractions. There are so many times when I realised I missed something exciting because I was glued to my device, so switching it off felt liberating and meant a great improvement to my improvement to mental health.
Photo by Plann
5. Choose A Walk Over A Party
There is a point in everyone’s life when they feel too old to party hard, and this usually comes the day after they try to relieve their finest (and messiest) years. The older you get, the more a fresh and energetic day appeals to you, so prioritising a walk over hitting the bar and the clubs can help you enjoy life at a slower pace. Depending on where you live, there should be plenty of local walks, but it’s never too tricky to drive further and enjoy stunning countryside scenery.
6. Taking My Time With Everything
Okay, not everything, especially since some things remain time-sensitive. However, realising that rushing around doesn’t get you anywhere that much faster can transform your perspective.
You don’t need to become a human sloth, but you also don’t need to do your best imitation of The Flash. Instead, a healthy medium where you have everything ready before you leave and aren’t stressed about getting out of the door at a specific time can prevent frustration and make you more appreciative of your time.
7. Stop Multitasking
Multitasking seems like a great idea, in theory. You can do many things at once to save time, which is especially beneficial for the busy professional who also has to take care of kids, the house, and everything else.
But, multitasking means you’re not focused on one project, which increases the risk of becoming muddled and making a mistake. What’s more, you’re often trying to do multiple things as quickly as possible, increasing the chance of a mistake even more. By the end, it can feel like you haven’t achieved much of anything at all. No matter how big or small a project is, I found it was always better to dedicate all my energy to one thing at a time to ensure quality and a stress-free experience.
8. Listening to Others
There are two types of people in the world: those who talk and those who listen. I used to think I was a person who listened, but it turns out I was just waiting for others to finish talking before I could say what I wanted.
Understanding the link between listening and well-being helped change all of that. While you can’t expect conversations to be entirely one-sided, giving people the chance to talk about themselves and what they love can give you a greater appreciation for what makes your friends, family and even strangers tick.
Photo by Daniel Mingook Kim
Slowing Down for Sustainable Wellness
Taking life a little slower may feel like you’re not making the most of life and everything it can offer, but that isn’t always the case. If you have tried (and failed) to master the art of living life in the fast lane, consider how effective the slow lane can be. Like me, you’ll find that taking things slow gives you more time to think and discover parts of yourself that ensure a more positive existence without spending your days rushing around.
Disclaimer: this is a collaborative post.
