A languid walk, a slow bike ride, breakfast without checking the clock: slow is good. We share four tips for a lower pace.
- Time to be idle
It’s easy enough to say: try to be idle more often. How do you do that again? Simple: do what you feel like doing for as long as you feel like doing it. And not because it’s useful. - Be nice to yourself
Slowing down also means being nice to yourself. You’re allowed to just relax. You’re allowed to simply sit on the couch with a cup of tea. Or once in a while, turn up late for something. All that is not as bad as it might seem.
- Take your time
You can’t make time, but you can take your time. Tip: Plan more time than you strictly need. So, leave for an appointment half an hour earlier, take the train instead of the car and walk to where you should be. And consider an obligation not as something to be done right away; just do it at your own pace. - Take a break
Take frequent breaks. They help you to let go of what you were doing. Moreover, it’s remarkable how often you think you’re achieving more by working nonstop at it, whereas in reality your productivity is decreasing. So take the time for that lunch, that conversation, and go for a walk at lunchtime.
*These tips (and more of them) can be found in our Flow Journals.
Text Sjoukje van de Kolk Photography Shutterstock
