Sometimes life feels like a race against the clock. Our to-do lists have to-do lists, we lie in bed at night thinking about the next day and we might feel like the pressure to "get things done" never lets up. When life moves at such a speedy pace, it's really easy for us to miss the small joys in life.
When we're always rushing to the next thing, a meal can be consumed and forgotten about without a pause to appreciate the effort, the ingredients and the care with which it was prepared. A busy schedule can mean that the contentment we feel after a visit with a cherished friend can get lost in the rush hour journey home. Too much to do can mean that an awe-inspiring sunrise glimpsed on the way to work can quickly be forgotten by the pressure to get on with the rest of the day.
When life is lived in a rush, we can sometimes lose touch with the good things in life that are happening in the here and now.
What if we could hit the pause button from time to time?
What difference could it make if we gave ourselves a chance to savour those special experiences that bring joy and give our lives meaning?
The key lies in becoming more aware of those experiences so that we can better appreciate the little things and step away, for a moment, off the treadmill of busyness.
Here are some tips to help you slow down and savour, even when life feels like it's running at 100 mph:
Become aware of the "rush" narrative
When you feel pressure to get things done, notice what thoughts are with you. Is your mind generating thoughts like "I have to get everything done!" or "There's not enough time!"?
You can ask yourself: "Do I really have to do this right now or is my mind telling me that’s what I need to do right now?” Sometimes when we tune in and notice our thoughts, we can recognise that those thoughts don’t reflect the true reality of the situation.
Think about what truly matters to you in life
Is it spending quality time with the people you care about? Getting things done? Finding moments of peace and joy?
Connecting what you do with your time to the things that you care about can help you to prioritise what is important and help you to feel less scattered.
Make space for rest
Don't underestimate the power of downtime. For most of us, unless we take the decision to schedule in time to rest and recharge, it’s unlikely anyone else will do it for us. You matter and you need to rest.
There’s that old proverb “you can’t pour from an empty cup” and this is especially important when life is challenging. Whether we're busy with tasks and responsibilities at home, at work or for ourselves we have to prioritise taking care of ourselves.
Whatever rest means to you, try to work out a way to have some space for yourself. This could mean a quiet evening with a book or it might mean choosing to say no to something that you don’t have the capacity for.
By incorporating some of these strategies into your life, you might find that you're more able to cultivate a greater sense of balance, calm and appreciation even when things are busy.
It's not about achieving some unattainable ideal of stillness, but rather about finding ways to create pockets of peace to help you slow down, savour what’s good in the here and now and connect with what truly matters to you.
If you need some support to savour and slow down, I warmly invite you to book a free 30-minute introductory call. You can click here to book an appointment.
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