More of the slowing down..
Originally published at Ted the Penguin. Please leave any comments there.
Remember how I said we should not go too fast? Well here’s more of the same.
In our rush-aholic world slowing down seems subversive. In the workplace we have to be “seen” to be working. Even though doing a task more slowly can often produce a result faster, many of us get caught up in unnecessary meetings and tasks. You may be suffering from too much speed. After all, you are reading this. We humans are not always-on, efficient machines that can run seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day. Burning the candle at both ends results in, well, burnout.
Humans need rests, relaxation, and recreation. We need time to think about things, to clear the mind, and to have fun. But to a person overburdened with claims on her time, fun seems only a distant remembered state of mind.
Slowing down is a way to incubate, conserve, and harvest our energy, not about relief from boredom by just watching more TV or going shopping. You may have to confront boredom at first. Sometimes things have to get worse before they get better.
The article breaks it down quite nicely:
- Don’t slow down quickly
- Have a slow hour
- Slow and calm
- Eat slowly
- Exercise slow
- Do one thing at a time
- Slow your attention
- Slow down now.
It also occurs to me that I should follow my own advice… but well, … soon. Maybe.