I want to start this article by quoting one of my favorite Simon and Garfunkel songs, 59th Street Bridge Song “Slow down, you move too fast. You got to make the morning last. Just kicking down the cobble stones. Looking for fun and feelin’ groovy.” The message to “slow down” is even reflected in the short length of the song as well as the leisurely but jolly beat. If only every every morning could feel that great!
In the age of modern technology, it can be nearly impossible to block out all the distractions that hit us from all sides. If it’s not the computer screen in front of our face, it’s the cell phone in our pocket or the mp3 player plugged into our ears. Technology is an amazing tool and has made our lives pleasant and happy. With technology we can organize our lives using calendars, social networking tools, messengers, and email. It makes the passage of information so rapid that we feel we have to respond in kind.
You possibly may be in denial about your addiction to speed, not referring to the drug, of course, but to the literal pace of life. One of the surest ways to tell you are rushing too much is if you can’t ever force yourself to slow down. You feel the pull to slow, but just can’t force yourself to do it. Especially not when there is so much to do! If this sounds like you, then you have a rushing addiction! It’s time to slow things down.
Few have the talent to take things slowly, since it’s just not a part of our culture these days. But with a little practice, you can do it. The best way to learn this skill is to set small goals and start from there. Why not try getting up ten minutes early so that you can sit down and eat your breakfast and read the morning news? Savor the flavor of your cereal and enjoy the tang of your orange juice. Take a few calming breaths before you start your day. Practice doing this for a few weeks and see how you feel. If you enjoy it, try it with other things in your life. You could eventually try setting aside time each weekend to focus on an old hobby or skill that you haven’t had time to practice of late. Or maybe you can attempt to set an everyday goal of exercising for a full half hour. In my opinion, exercise is one of the best things you could do to help yourself de-stress and slow down the fast pace of life.
Slowing down and taking a break from the daily grind can reduce stress levels. Heightened stress can cause all sorts of health problems such as depression, fatigue, heart problems, and even digestion issues. I want to end the way I began, with song lyrics that perfectly reflect the ideas in this article. This time I’ll use a modern song, Zac Brown Band’s recent Knee Deep, “Gonna put the world away for a minute, Pretend I don’t live in it, Sunshine gonna wash my blues away.” We all need to take a cue from this and enjoy life a little. Slow it down once in a while and just savor all you can. After all, you only live once!
About the Author
Natalie Clive writes for My Colleges and Careers. Mycollegesandcareer.com provides information about online education and can help students find a career that interests them. The site also helps prospective students decide what the best online colleges are to help them meet their goals.
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