I was having a conversation with a friend today about life, business, plans for the future; we were both starting to feel burnt out and stuck. The constant go-go-go and feeling of not wanting to fall behind was pushing us to our limits and both our health and well-being were suffering because of it. I’m writing this as yet another reminder to myself and to YOU, that it is ok to slow down.
Dreams don’t wait, but don’t reach for them everyday either
No matter what it is that you are pursuing, it is ok to slow down. It’s ok to take a breath, space out, and just totally do a 180 in your work ethic.
According to some of the most high-level performers, taking time to slow down is actually a tool they use to reach even higher levels. Did that sentence make you go, “Huh!?”.
It’s true, the best of the best in the world need to rest, relax, and decompress for their own mental, physical, and spiritual health. Non-stop work means you’re never assessing where you are, where you want to go, and what you have already accomplished.
You need time to think
Let’s say you were given a task to complete each day at work. The task takes you 7 hours to complete, leaving you one hour left to complete your other duties, meetings, sales, etc. Let’s also say that you have the ambition to work your way up in this company and earn a high-level role. Every single day, you are trying to prove what you’re made of.
Unfortunately, you have this huge 7 hour task, every single day sucking up your energy and time. You use that last hour to do everything in your power to get results and show you’re ready to take on more responsibility.
You push and push every day, making the most of that hour… but is that really the smartest thing to do? Is that all you can do? It might seem that way if you don’t slow down.
If you just took a moment to escape the situation, think, and look at the bigger picture you might have come up with a way to shorten that 7 hour task. You might have thought to yourself, why not learn a new skill, outsource this task, or learn how to do it faster rather than let it consume all of my time. Wouldn’t that make more sense!?
Then you could have exponentially more time to earn the title of a high-level role. That sounds pretty smart to me…
It’s easy to get stuck
I totally understand and know where you’re coming from if you’re stuck in a constant “on” mode. That was me, and quite honestly still is me. I’m trying to create a future for myself and I fear slowing down will hamper those efforts.
That’s where we all get stuck. We think slowing down is bad. We judge ourselves for not being able to keep going.
But it’s ok to slow down.
We need to. You need to.
It’s during the periods of life that we slow down where we often experience the most growth. Slowing down allows us to critically think, make smart decisions, and reassess needs, goals, and progress.
You’ve probably heard it numerous times, but the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. Don’t be insane. Take time off to get a hold of your bearings so you can come back stronger, quicker, and better than ever.
Tools to slow down in your life
There’s a handful of methods, tips and tricks, and advice on how to slow down; it’s up to you to find what works. Here is a list of my favorite activities that help me decompress and clear my mind.
- Meditation
- Going for a nature walk
- Focusing on my breath and/or breath work
- Spacing out
- Writing in my journal
- Sleeping in (or going to bed early)
- Riding my skateboard outside
- Cooking a meal for myself or others
- Playing with an animal (cat, dog, etc)
- Practicing my favorite piano songs
Any activity that brings you joy, peace of mind, and relaxation will fit the bill here. Use your intuition but also don’t be afraid to try out something new!
Conclusion: it’s ok to slow down
It’s so easy to get stuck in a pattern of pushing yourself to the limit every single day. Start to become aware of when you might be feeling burnt out and listen to your body and mind when they need a break. By slowing down, you’ll give yourself time to relax, come up with new ideas, and discover more efficient routes to solving your biggest problems. Don’t ignore the power of doing nothing in achieving your goals!
