A slow living lifestyle means to take a slower, more meaningful approach to life every day. Living a more simple and sustainable life with a focus on purpose and your well-being

Slow living is about being mindful of you and what you are doing throughout your day.

Slow living is not about living in a cabin in the woods and cooking over an open fire. You can practice a slow living lifestyle right where you are. You can live in New York City and still practice slow living.

Just what is meant by being Mindful?

Slow living is internal, it’s about being mindful. It is about taking a slower approach to everyday life to be conscious of how you are living, your priorities, and what is the best use of your time.

For so many, external factors seem to determine so much of our time. The externals determine the where, when, and how we work. Expectations from others also dictate our time, leaving little or no time for ourselves.

A slow living lifestyle is about changing the way you are living to make it serve you and what you want out of life.

Being Mindful to apply Slow living at work

In our modern society of working longer hours, being extremely efficient, and producing more has become the norm. With businesses becoming so competitive and focused on the bottom line, they demand everything you can give. You are expected to work long hours and perform at maximum level.

This performance comes at a price. Family time and personal time suffer at the expense of work.  More importantly, you suffer because of this.

Slow living doesn’t mean you can’t be a productive worker. It means being intentional about what you do. Slow living at work means focusing on the tasks that bring results – and eliminating the distractions that don’t really matter.

Use your work breaks to relax your mind and ground yourself. You will return to work more refreshed and productive than if you spend your break on your phone or worse yet working through a break.

Being Mindful to apply slow living at home

A slow living lifestyle means being intentional with your home time. It’s not about packing your schedule with obligations to serve others.

Work, friends, and family all want your time. You will still need to spend time with all of this, but you need to make sure you carve out time for yourself.

You must find time to serve yourself. This will replenish your tank and make you more able to give.

Let’s explore what serving yourself means

You must find time for just you.  Popularly known as Me Time. With a busy schedule, just how can you do this?

One of the first things is to learn to say no to others wishing to take all of your time – and be ruthlessly protective of your me time. Spend your me time doing what makes you feel good, feel relaxed, or is just plain rewarding to you. I know you can’t always just say no to everyone, but look for opportunities that aren’t a priority over your me time.  Your me time needs to a priority in your life.

Your me time may include things like a favorite hobby, reading, taking a walk, or just sitting by yourself, exploring your own thoughts or listening to nature.

It may include listening to music and engaging with it. Letting the music flow through you and not thinking about anything else. When you just listen to music, do you find yourself singing or humming along? Maybe even tapping your toes or a little dance move?  You need to do that more of that!

You will find that meaningful me time will bring you better enjoyment than looking at your phone or TV.

With that, take time to put down your phone and turn off the TV. That really shouldn’t be considered your me time as there isn’t much mindfulness going on there.

Your mind is refreshed after doing something for yourself in the evening instead of scrolling through your phone or watching TV and you may find that you sleep better.

Start Small

You may think there is no time in your day for yourself but apply mindfulness to work and home you will begin to find time. A slow living lifestyle is not always an all or nothing approach. Start small if you need to. Find 15 minutes in the morning, 15 more minutes in the afternoon, and 15 minutes in the evening. The time is there if you look for it and make it a priority.

The Slow Living Lifestyle

A hurried life is just not healthy. Rushing through the day without any intention or pleasure provides little self-awareness. Your days become obstacles to endure before the weekend arrives for the possibility of recharging.

When you’re more connected to the present, you appreciate life’s small pleasures and gain perspective on what’s going on in your day.

There are countless health benefits of mindfulness and a slow living lifestyle. It helps you manage and reduce stress, lowers your blood pressure, and improves your sleep. At some point it becomes imperative for us to reconnect with ourselves, to find time for ourselves and build or rebuild who we are.

Maybe you think that you can begin a slow living lifestyle when you finally retire but why wait for that? Why not now?