The Importance of Slowing Down

It was a lazy Saturday afternoon, I was sitting on my bed, alone, not doing anything at all, simply, staring at the walls of my room. Not on my laptop, not browsing through social media, and not watching Television (I’m making an assumption here, that these are the new age hobbies that most of us have cultivated). Yet, somehow, I managed to worry my family members - for not having anything to do, for putting a pause to being a productive member of society.

And as a result, I managed to make myself feel guilty. But why? It is not as if this is what I do all day, everyday. I do have a full time job, and I do make time to do certain household chores, and do, every once in a while go out with friends and family. Then why the guilt?

Of course, while some of it came from constantly being told that I need to be at a high speed, high energy mode all the time, I think, for the most part, it is self-inflicted. You see, today’s world moves on fast-forward. We take pride in being efficient multi-taskers - from responding to emails while getting ready in the morning, to having working lunches, because there simply isn’t time. Somehow, the 24-hour long days don’t seem to suffice our busy schedules. And human beings - the perpetually evolving species that we are - have found a way to adapt to it.

So, as a coping mechanism, if we want to take a couple of hours off of the world, off our busy schedules, we tend to feel guilty. Because we have set such high expectations for ourselves - of being productive, of running on autopilot, every moment of every day.

Off late, I have realized the importance of slowing down, and I try not to feed the guilt associated with it. Because, even though being idle or not doing anything might seem mindless on the outside, I’ve found it to be quite the opposite - a mindful activity. Taking a few hours off can help you listen to your mind, and pay attention to how the thoughts in your head come and go, unfettered. It can hone the skill of being present in the moment, and possibly elude a burn-out.

So I’ve decided to devote my time to certain activities, which help me live life in slow-mo. Some of these I’ve acquired recently, such as taking a walk in the park and appreciating the greenery around. However, most of them come naturally to me, for example, sitting in a quiet corner of the house and listening to music, day-dreaming, and doodling on a piece of paper. The common denominator here is, disengaging from the world. I try to ensure minimal internet connectivity for least distraction.

Also, after practicing these activities consistently, I feel that this down time is now embedded into my schedule and has become quite inevitable. It helps me build patience, and provides me with (often much needed) clarity of thought.

So, the next time you feel that you might be nearing a burn-out, perhaps give it a try? Take a few hours off, and disconnect from the world - breathe, think, observe and day-dream!