Hurry up. Make a bigger effort. Hustle. Increase your hustling. Does this ring any bells? Influencers, entrepreneurs, and motivational speakers abound on social media, all praising the benefits of hustling at all costs. It’s gotten to the point where hustling, and even simply talking about hustling, appears to be more essential than actually getting things done.
Many of us spend our lives racing around and cramming many activities into each day in order to feel productive in our modern fast-paced environment. Yet, when we rush through our days, we miss out on the enchantment of life and fail to be appreciative for the beautiful events that occur. We have a tendency to forget ‘what is’ in favour of ‘what is next.’ Only a few people, however, will tell you that hustling not only generates stress, but it can also make you physically and mentally unwell.
“Slowness” is the alternative to the “always hurrying” mindset. Slowing down can mean the difference between success and failure, thriving and burnout.
Here are four reasons why slowing down can help you achieve more success, feel more fulfilled, and live the life you want.
-You will make better choices: What good is hustling all the time if one bad decision might erase all your hard work? Simply put, your mind is a machine: If you keep your foot on the floor all the time, the engine will overheat and fail. Slowing down and making time for relaxation and meditation lowers your stress threshold. When your mind isn’t racing, it can focus on absorbing information, assessing the situation, and making an informed decision.
-You’ll be able to harness the power of emotion—Too many people fail to recognise the value of their emotions. Emotions serve as a guide, allowing you to assess what’s going on in and around you and how best to respond. Successful people are able to sense and control their emotions without allowing them to cause negative behaviours or actions.
-You’ll see things more clearly: Slow down and set aside time for reflection. If you’re too busy sprinting with your head down, you won’t be able to see where you’re going. If you’re laser focused in one way, you won’t notice the shiny thing in the corner of your eye.
Make a weekly “check-in” appointment to address this. Consider your goals and the challenges or possibilities that have presented themselves. Consider what’s working, what isn’t, and where you might concentrate your efforts next week.
-When you’re exhausted, it’s impossible to hustle: If you want to achieve, you must be willing to prioritise what your mind, body, and spirit require to remain healthy. There’s no reason not to meditate, exercise, create a nutritious dinner, or journal when each day gives 24 hours.
Consider the following suggestions to help you connect with slow:
- When you’re walking to work, look up: you’ll see a lot of new structures and interesting details, or you might just observe the clouds and beauty in the sky.
- Slowly eat your meals at a table free of distractions.
- Listen to hear, not only for your opportunity to answer, when you’re in a conversation.
- Begin a daily thankfulness practise or keep a daily journal of what makes you joyful.
- Allow yourself enough time to schedule appointments without feeling rushed.
- Work on your projects, goals and dreams everyday but side by side also give yourself some moment of relaxations.
Consider the advantages listed above and take one small step toward incorporating more slowness into your life. See how it goes, then try again. I can tell you that life is lot better when you balance the rush with slowness.
“There is more to life than increasing its speed.”
-Mahatma Gandhi
