How to Slow Things Down

Sometimes life feels so busy that it is only a matter of time before one of the many plates in the air comes crashing to the ground. If you feel the need to slow down, here are a few ways to make a difference.

Identify your priorities
What is important to you in your life? Work, love, family, friends, money, freedom, structure? Take note of what are your key priorities. How are they reflected in your current circumstances?
Change one thing
What one thing could you change that will make the biggest positive difference to your life? Decide how you can incorporate that change into your day to day life and how it could help your life reflect your priorities.
Write it down
If you have too many ideas flying around in your head, write them down, which will stop your sensation of overwhelm. Once you have a plan of what is going to happen, and when, it will help release the pressure. If you lie awake in the middle of the night worrying about what you need to do, keep a notepad and pen by the side of their bed to write things down as and when they occur.

​Pause
Remember to stop and take a few deep breaths whenever things are getting on top of you. Pausing, even if for a few moments, will help to calm and centre you. As you become more practiced at these moments of calm, you will also begin to notice your surrounding more and feel more present.

Make time to look after yourself
Sleep well, eat well, drink plenty of water and find time to do some exercise. If you find bedtime creeps later and later, consider how you can change your routine so you have the possibility of sleeping 8 hours. Research increasingly underlines the importance of enough sleep to physical and mental health. Stop thinking about 8 hours sleep as a ‘nice to have’ and change your routine to include it as an essential part of your day.

Keep things in perspective
Don’t allow your self-worth to be dependent on how busy you are, or appear to be. Recognise that fulfillment is multi-faceted and is not only a reflection of how much you take one. It also includes making time to stop, reflect and to what you love to do and be with people who raise your spirits and make you happy.
Finally, if you don’t allow yourself enough time to rest and recover, how can you be expected to perform at your best?