Slow Living is a Skill you need to Learn
Yesterday we chatted about why slow living is important, but today we are going to discuss if slow living is a skill. Short answer? It absolutely is. You wouldn’t think that slowing down would be a skill that you have to learn, but for some reason we will not allow ourselves to slow down unless we actively choose to do so.
Why is that? It is interesting to think about how harried we all are. Everyone is constantly going, not taking the time to breathe, let alone recharge and relax. Now, I know that some people thrive in the busyness. But, not everyone does. And as a highly sensitive person and an introvert, I most definitely do not fall into the “thrive in busyness camp.”
Is Slow Living a Skill you need to Learn?
We have already talked about how I believe it is a skill. But why do you need to learn it? Slow living requires a mindset shift. In order to cultivate slow living as a skill you need to change your mindset from hustle to being in the present. Instead of always moving to the next thing, you are deciding to step back and only do those things that are most important to you. When you think back on your vision do you see your choices as supporting that vision? That is why slow living is a skill that you need to learn.
Think about your day to day. Are you easily distracted by the next shiny thing? Do you have white space and time to sit down and enjoy your life? Or, are you moving at a break-neck pace, trying to fit in everything you have committed to?
Multi-tasking is not real
That may ruffle some feathers. I know that when I graduated from college and started to interview for jobs, that was one of my positive qualities. It was something that I touted as being a big part of why I would be a great fit for a company. I knew how to multi-task. I had been in college, juggling a full academic schedule and working 30-hours per week. Multi-tasking was my super power!
But, after a while, I realized that multi-tasking, similar to balance, is not a real thing. You are always spending more time and mental energy on one thing. In order to switch between multiple tasks, you are actually being less efficient with your time. It took me a long time to understand that. And a bit longer to realize that it was OK to work in more managed time blocks.
When you spend your days focusing on fewer projects, and not being constantly interrupted, you are more productive. You feel better about your productivity, and you are able to breathe a lot easier. Compare that to being interrupted by your kids 10 times in one hour when you are trying to make appointments, or do some sort of project. Is it easy to go between helping your kids and your project? Or do you get worn out faster, and become less productive all around?
Slow Living does not equal Productivity
But, it does allow you to see where you value spending your time. Slowing down takes a good amount of time management finesse. You have to be able to manage your life, and you have to be able to make the right choices in order to foster slow living.
It doesn’t just happen. If you were not making the active choice to slow down, the choices would be made for you. And often it is for more busyness, not slowing down.
Slow living is a skill because you have to actively make those choices. We are living in a world that consists of more. More information, more noise, more activities. Everyone easily gets caught up in it. Why? The fear of missing out. You don’t want to miss something good. You don’t want your kids to miss something good. So instead of cultivating a slower lifestyle, you add as many things to your plate as you can, and eventually hit a wall of burnout.
The Bottom Line
If you make the choice now to slow down, you will be better for it. You are not missing out by saying no to activities. Your kids are not missing out either. We live in a world where anxiety and stress are through the roof. Not just for the adults, but also for the kids. That is not something I want for my kids, and I’m sure you feel the same.
Kids see the stress. Yes, they are resilient. But, they also know when things are too much. This comes out in bad behavior, in being tired all of the time, in just wanting to sit at home and do nothing. You may fear they are becoming lazy, but they don’t know how to express how overwhelmed and overworked they are.
Slow living is a skill to cultivate. It is a skill that we want our kids to have. Letting them know that it is OK to say no to an activity, to not jump on the travel team bandwagon, to take the summer off from running, or dance, or music. Remember your own childhood. Remember the boredom that you had. Don’t try to fill up all of your time, and your kids’ time, with activities to remove boredom as an option.
Where can you say no today in order cultivate slow living in your life? What would you do with an extra hour each day?
