11 ways to start slow living

“Life is simple. It’s what we believe about life that complicates it.” — Byron Katie

Slow living has become more popular during lockdown. It’s made a lot of people realise that they live in a constantly connected and ever increasingly fast-paced world, which is starting to have it’s affect on the way people are experiencing life. It can be so easy to get swept up in the feeling of needing to do more, just to keep up. But the trouble is, sometimes we spend so much time and energy trying to keep up and fit everything into our days that we can’t even enjoy them! Statistically speaking, people are sleeping less, are experiencing ridiculously high levels of stress, and even though connected electronically are feeling more isolated and lonelier than ever.

So what do we do? More and more people are beginning to be drawn to a slower, simpler life, which we can see by the popularity of things like the Marie Kondo method of tidying up, tiny-house living and #vanlife. Capsule wardrobes as well our interest in the Danish word Hygge to describe a feeling of cozy wellness. We are starting to seek  mindfulness and meditation. Farmers markets have become a trendy place to “connect with our food”.

What all of this says is that we are craving connection and slow living — but is it possible for all of these practices to really get us there if we don’t address the giant elephant in the room, which is how we are choosing to approach and enjoy every single day. Learning how to slow down isn’t always easy. It takes intentional effort to resist the societal norm that “busy is better”, or that being busy equals productivity and importance, and choose to slow down.

I’m sharing a list of 11 ways to help you learn how to slow down and enjoy life more. They are simple and practical ways to start slowing down and simplify your life that can be implemented today. Don’t put  pressure on yourself to do everything on the list at once. Start by trying one thing on the list. Try another when you feel ready. Hopefully, over time, these suggestions of ways to slow down will become natural to your daily routines and rhythms so you can live a slower life you enjoy.

I have nothing against technology. I think it is a wonderful thing. It allows me to stay connected to friends and family dotted around the world. It allows creativity and the ability to express yourself in many different ways, to capture moments and memories that will last forever. Heck, it’s turning into my full time job! But sometimes it can all just get a little too much. Always connected, always reachable, always plugged in.

A great way of slowing down is to unplug. Turn your phone off for a few hours, a day, a weekend. Set your phone to silent and turn all notifications off to avoid distractions and the urge to go online.  If you feel like you cant commit to a full day without your phone, then set times during the day where you switch off. Maybe you don’t look at your phone until midday. I know some people switch off their phones at a certain time in the evening, like 5/6pm. Find what works for you. It’s amazing how much of a difference it can make.

Get outside

Take some deep breaths

Deep breathing is another great way to use your breath to slow down when you find yourself feeling rushed, busy or overwhelmed. Being a mother means there have been several times where the kids have just been on one. I find myself getting snappy and frustrated. So I stop for a moment and take deep breaths. in through your nose for 5 and out through your mouth for 8. These are actually what i used during my hypnobirth with Evelyn. It may sound silly, but it really helps to release some of the stress so you can find more calmness, refocus and slow down.

Wake up earlier

However you start your day, usually sets the tone for the rest of the day. If you know me well, or have seen a few of my stories on Instagram, you will know I’ve a tendency to wake early. Like, 4-4.30am kind of early. You don’t have to wake that early, but for me it allows me to wake up slowly. When you start your day in a rush, you often feel rushed, frantic and behind for the rest of your day. A great way to learn how to slow down is by starting your day a little slower and more intentionally right from the beginning.

Getting at 4am means I can get a lot done. Things like hang up the nappies that were washed overnight. Stick a load of washing on, prep the girls breakfast, even lunch if im feeling super productive. I can then have a hot cup of coffee, maybe even two, as well as check my emails before the girls wake at 7am. This helps me to avoid any kind of rushing when the kids wake, leaving me feeling super calm and ready for the day!

Savour your coffee or tea

Taking the time to notice and savour small moments throughout your day is a great way to learn how to slow down. Instead of checking your phone or drinking it while doing something else, try to be fully present for the experience of drinking your favourite drink. Really taste it. Notice and pay attention to the color, the smell, the taste. Try and do this whilst the tiny humans nap, take a moment for yourself.

Anytime you are able to add small moments of mindfulness into your day, you’re practicing slowing down.

Cross something off your to-do list

It doesn’t matter how much you slow down, there will always be things that need doing. Saying that, one way to slow down is by assessing your to-do list and getting rid of anything that doesn’t necessarily need to be done right away. By prioritising what needs to be done and how you spend your time is a great way to slow down.

I have a weekly and monthly planner that I use and it is honestly amazing. Katie over at Katieflossblog recommended it and I have fallen in love with it. Its a Clever Fox Planner. Each double page is a week. It’s set up so you can plan what needs to be done on which days, weekly goals, weekly priorities. There is also a to do list section, a habit tracker, a section for goals that have been met as well as a section for ways to improve the following week.  I use this for everything work and life related. It has helped me keep track of deadlines, and appointments. I honestly love it, perfect for slow living!

For everything cleaning/chore related, I use the Mrs Hinch little book of lists. Caitylis is to blame for this one. But it has changed my life. Every Sunday I write down what needs to be done during the week. Organising things by room, not by days. That way there not so much pressure to get things done in one particular day! This helps me to be awake of what needs to be done, what “should” be done.

I honestly love both of these books. They have helped me to become more organised because lord knows I am awful at being organised!

Listen to the silence

Sometimes all you need is to switch off the noise. Turn off the TV, Radio, Podcast, Audiobook and just have silence. Simply turning off the literal noise in your life is a great way to slow down and give yourself a breather. Take a minute to notice and really pay attention to where you are, what you’re doing and what’s going on around you.

Add some white space to your home

Basically, clear out the clutter. Clear out the items that you no longer want or need from your home. Open up the space and allow yourself more time, space and energy to focus on other things. Don’t just chuck stuff in the trash though, I’d highly recommend selling it, or donating to a charity shop, hospice or shelter.

Really listen when you’re talking to someone

Lastly, Listen. Like, really listen to someone when they are talking to you. When you next have a conversation with someone, try giving them your undivided attention. Practice listening to understand, not listening to respond. Finding moments of connection and truly listening to the person you’re talking to is a great way to help you slow down and be more present in your life.

Practice gratitude

Practicing gratitude is something that can be done anywhere at anytime. All you need to do is take a few moments to think of a few things that you are grateful for. It can be anything from your health, your family, to smaller things like a hot cup of coffee ( although, to us Mama’s, a hot cuppa is a HUGE thing!) The key is to make a conscious effort to shift your mindset to gratitude. This should help you to really slow down and appreciate life and the things you have in front of you.

Slow living: do one thing at a time

Very few people can multi-task effectively. I am awful at doing on thing at a time. I always end up doing one thing, then starting something else, then moving on to something else. Usually, it leaves me feeling rushed, frazzled, stressed and not doing any of the tasks particularly well. Not only will you practice slowing down. There is also a good chance you will do a better job at whatever you’re doing when you aren’t distracted by other things.