We all have 24 hours each day, yet the way we choose to fill those hours are very different from one another. Some of us lead fast-paced, busy lives, while others prefer to operate at a slower pace.

Sometimes, we might want to live at a slower pace, but find that our responsibilities, work, families, social activities, and life admin cause us to rush around constantly, never finding time to relax or be still.

As Lao Tzu (the founding father of Taoism) said “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” The same goes for our lives. If we stop to think and re-evaluate how we spend the hours in our days, then it’s possible that we can achieve all our goals, as well as live in a way that is slower, mindful, and more relaxed.

Prioritising the most important things

If we prioritise the most important things in a day, then it’s more likely we can purposefully get these done, with more time spare for the things that really benefit us.

At the start of each week, create a weekly planner and put priority on the most important 3 tasks to accomplish each day, spreading your responsibilities evenly over the weekdays as much as possible. Try to put your highest-priority tasks right at the start of the day, as this is when you will be most productive and more likely to get the tasks done efficiently.

Prioritisation brings order to chaos and writing things down that you need to do can help to free many thoughts from whizzing around your head all day. Also, ticking things off once completed can create a sense of satisfaction, calmness and space for the rest of the day.

Know when to say no

We can all make a conscious choice to do less. For example, you might enjoy a fruitful social life, with many invitations and engagements, but it’s still healthy to occasionally say no and instead spend that time at home just taking a bath or relaxing with a good book.

Similarly, if you are asked to take on extra commitments at work, or with your children’s school, for example, then don’t feel guilty about refusing a request. It’s perfectly acceptable to say no if you feel the extra responsibilities would put a strain on your weekly schedule. In fact, you might find it feels quite empowering and refreshing not to accept.

Focus on what is really important to you, what you get the most contentment from, and let the rest go.

Learn how to say yes (to help!)

Just as hard as it is for some of us to say no, it can be just as equally, or even harder to say yes to accepting help. Sometimes pride might get in the way – not wanting to have to admit that we can’t do everything ourselves. Or, we might not want to think that we are inconveniencing anyone else – burdening them with further responsibilities of their own.

However, if we do feel stretched and stressed in many areas, then asking for help might be the best solution to free up some time. This might come in the way of paid help – a cleaner to help at home, or a babysitter to collect your kids from school. Or, perhaps ask a retired family member or a younger family member to help out occasionally on certain days. Remember, people can always say “no” themselves, however, they might be more than happy to offer a helping hand to you to add further purpose to their own lives.

Staying present

Prioritising, saying no, and accepting help are going to be very useful methods of saving time and being less hurried, however, staying present is essential to slowing down and finding a greater appreciation for life. Our mind naturally thinks back to the past or leaps forward into the future; wondering about things you should have done or things that need to be done, but taking yourself back to the present moment and only the tasks at hand for that time can help to slow down your mind.

There are many ways to practice mindfulness – using short meditations, mindful breathing exercises, and paying attention to your senses in a way you might not usually observe. Eat slower – enjoying every mouthful. Walk slower – enjoying the sights and sounds as your walk. Take your time driving from one meeting to another while you enjoy some music in the car. And, listen to a podcast while doing the ironing instead of rushing through it with gritted teeth!

By incorporating these habits into your life each day, you might find yourself less distracted by other things while carrying out your tasks as well as interacting with others.

Disconnecting

Staying present can also mean disconnecting from technology. The average adult in the UK spends up to 4 hours every day on their phone, mostly on apps. That adds up to nearly 120 hours every month – the equivalent of over two full work weeks!

Once you get into the habit, you will find it refreshingly nice to leave your phone at home while you take a nature walk with your family or leave your phone in your suitcase while you take a long train journey, enjoying the scenery outside on the way. If you are constantly connected, you are open to interruptions, distractions, and stress that will make you feel much busier and hurried, rather than relaxed and calm.

Hopefully, this article offers a few helpful pieces of advice that might help you to live your life at a slightly slower pace. There might, however, be times in your life when you need a little more help. We are all at risk of stress build-up, exhaustion, and burnout, and in this case, it can be helpful to seek help and therapy in order to bring balance back. 

My bespoke Stress and Recovery Package is for anyone who feels they need to address and adjust certain stressors in their lives. It could be stressors at work, at home, with health, or money. The package can help those with low self-confidence and self-doubt, those facing change, the end of a relationship, grief, negative thought patterns, career stress, trauma, panic attacks, and feelings of exhaustion. No matter how you are feeling, or the reasons why I can help you to get through this tough period in your life.

Get in touch at patti.hemmings@hotmail.com