Slow Down
Posted on March 12, 2022 by Laura Pichardo, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
You Must Take Care of Yourself First, To Take Care of Others – 7 Ways on How to Slow Down
Have you ever found yourself drowning in “to do’s” that you couldn’t think straight? And once you finally get a day off, you still somehow find yourself busy? I wonder – if you stop everything you’re doing right now and take a step back, how many of your “to do’s” are for you? How often do you take the time to slow down and take care of yourself? Most people live in a state of giving – giving their efforts, their time, their heart to others and within time, they find themselves exhausted, mentally and physically.
Many people (especially women) are raised to believe that if we take time for ourselves, we’re being selfish or lazy. Therefore, even on a desperately-needed day off, we find ourselves running errands or engaging in energy-draining activities. If you put that ideology aside for a moment and think back to the last time you genuinely felt relaxed, at peace and in the right state of mind, what were you doing? I bet you were doing something for yourself.
It’s important to understand that “me time” is not a luxury, it’s a necessity! If you want to operate at your highest level, you must slow down and take time for yourself. You must immerse yourself in the activities that allow you to decompress, mentally relax and enter your state of happiness.
As stated in both articles by Forbes “Why More Companies Are Cultivating a Culture of Mindfulness” & “The Fastest Way To Be More Productive Is To Slow Down”, some of the benefits of slowing down are:
- You become better at problem-solving
- You get better at coming up with creative ideas
- You start to become more productive
- You’re finally able to clear your mind
If you’re finding it difficult to slow down in your busy world, here are 7 ways on how you can start slowing down:
1. MEDITATE
This has become my new favorite “me time” activity! All you need is 15min to get a good meditation session in. Meditation has proven to help decrease stress, improved concentration, lower blood pressure, and reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression, just to name a few.
2. JOURNAL
This is the perfect activity to do following meditation or just on its own. Just like meditation it can also help with reducing stress, calming anxiety, and relieving depression. It’s also great for improving your memory, strengthening the immune system, increasing optimism, and coping with trauma
3. IMMERSE YOURSELF IN NATURE
This a great way to slow down! Find a park, a hiking trail or a beachside, the point is to just get away from it all and connect with mother nature. Just make sure it’s an area you feel safe so you can actually relax. Immersing yourself in nature can lower blood pressure and stress hormone levels, reduce nervous system arousal, enhance immune system function, increase self-esteem, reduce anxiety, and improve mood.
4. EXERCISE
It’s no secret that exercise is a great way to destress but since we’re aiming on slowing down, try a workout that’s a bit slower pace like yoga or a long walk. Exercise can improve depression, anxiety, PTSD, and gives sense of accomplishment therefore improving your mood.
5. GET CREATIVE
I’m not the best artist but there’s something about getting in touch with my inner artist that really feels relaxing. Try drawing, sculpting, painting, playing an instrument, or everyone’s new favorite – coloring! Connecting with your creative side can improve brain function, mental health and physical health.
6. READ
There’s nothing like getting cozy and opening up a good book! If reading tends to put you to sleep try reading a thriller or romance novel. Reading doesn’t have to solely be about education it can also be about pleasure! Reading can reduce stress levels, strengthen connections in your brain and help you live longer.
7. SIT AND DO NOTHING
The most simplest but possibly the most difficult in today’s society. When I say sit and do nothing, I mean NOTHING! Completely unplugging – no phone, no music, no podcast, no TV – nothing. This is not meditation, in meditation you’re focusing on your breath, you want to keep your mind clear and you typically have your eyes closed. In this case, of doing nothing, you can gaze out a window or daydream. When we do this “we activate something in our brains that neuroscientists call the Default Mode Network (DMN), which allows us to connect new dots and come up with novel ideas and even assess ourselves and psyches in new ways”.
