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{*Did you know you can write on Elephant? Here’s how—big changes: How to Write & Make Money or at least Be of Benefit on Elephant. ~ Waylon}

In our current fast-paced world, it’s common to think that slowing down is absurd—and often unnecessary.

How can we possibly slow down when we have jobs we need to keep, families to provide for, pets to take care of, and friendships to maintain? Not to mention our intimate relationships, our community, our plants, our personal goals, and, ahem, ourselves.

It seems nearly impossible to stop moving and not get things done. Sadly, this constant need to keep moving faster is our society’s norm. We constantly feel rushed to the point of obsession.

Our bodies can’t even poop without our phones anymore. Our break time is full of chores, and taking a nap makes us feel guilty or, better yet, unproductive.

I have always struggled with slowing down. Since I hate falling behind, I tend to rush from one thing to the next without realizing how messy and unproductive that is.

Chances are you might be struggling with slowing down too. Even if you think you’re fine, you might not be living your life to the fullest. To live a purposeful life that’s devoid of mindless distractions, we need to learn to pause and think twice about what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.

I have realized that the number of tasks in my day doesn’t matter. The quality of my to-do list and what it makes me feel is what truly matters. Even if that list is empty and I choose to stay in bed all day long, it’s never a waste of time if it brings my soul comfort and happiness.

Having said that, we need to switch from how much we achieve to what we achieve. That simple change of mindset can help us to slow down and appreciate the little things in life.

Here are six ways to do that

1. Rest. I often refuse to rest when I have a lot on my plate. But I have recently noticed that rest is as important as being productive. The truth is we can’t achieve our daily tasks and long-term goals if we don’t give our bodies and minds the rest they need.

2. Focus on purpose, not speed. Focus on what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, and the results you’d like to see. Expecting immediate results might steer us clear of our goal and keep us further away from achieving success.

3. Notice the fillers. Sometimes we fill our time with distractions that aren’t necessary and that leave us feeling overtired and drained—like mindless scrolling through the phone. When we’re sucked into that loop, we feel unproductive, which intensifies the need to do something so we can make up for “lost time.”

4. Do you feel guilty for doing nothing? If yes, you should ask yourself why you only feel successful or happy when you’re busy. Your productivity guilt is telling you that your self-worth is linked with your tasks, which isn’t true. Whenever you think you’re unproductive, remind yourself that you’re working hard enough and you deserve to unwind.

5. Make self-reflection a priority. We usually push moments of reflection aside and prioritize other “important” stuff. When we neglect ourselves and avoid moments of rest, we might end up feeling overtired. Self-reflection naturally allows us to slow down in life and take a look within.

6. No one’s rushing you but you. We tend to think that certain things “can’t wait,” but the truth is we’re just looking for excuses to be on the go. Most things in life can wait. So chill and give yourself a break. You need it!

~