When was the last time you felt like you weren’t in a hurry? For many of us, it’s been too long. We rush from one task to the next with barely time to focus on what we are doing, where we are, what is going on around us. When we live in a rush, we don’t allow ourselves time to process events or our feelings about them.
Generally speaking, the act of rushing can trigger stress and anxiety. All this hurrying from one thing to the next also takes a toll on our bodies. Everyone is at least a little aware of the effects of stress on our bodies. The hectic pace creates physical and emotional stress that can cause decreased energy, headaches, digestion issues, muscle tension, trouble sleeping, frequent colds and infections, and loss of sexual desire. These symptoms of stress can make us feel more helpless in our ability to maintain our hectic and fast-paced schedules, and our stress levels increase even more.
It doesn’t have to be this way. There are some very easy and realistic steps you can take to slow your life down.
A slower-paced life means taking the time to enjoy whatever you’re doing and to focus your attention on whomever you’re talking to or spending time with. It means being present and being able to “single-task” rather than switching between a multitude of tasks and focusing on none of them.
Slowing down is a conscious choice that can lead to a greater appreciation for life and a decreased level of stress. It is important that you remember the choices you do have. More often than not, when we take a serious and objective look at our schedules, there are important, helpful changes we can make.
Do less
Take an honest look at your schedule this week and highlight the things that are absolutely necessary. You’ll find that there are things on your schedule that you can delegate to someone else, and other things that can wait. You may even find that there are things on there that you don’t really need to do at all!
Spread It Out
Put some space between tasks and appointments. It doesn’t need to be a lot - just a few minutes can have a huge impact. Your mind can only do so many things at a time, and when you jump from one thing to the next without pausing, it can be like shifting from drive to reverse in your car without stopping. This little bit of space allows your mind to reorganize itself for the next task. This will make you more efficient and productive, with less time wasted while your brain struggles to keep up.
Be present
You can practice being present by being mindful of whatever you’re doing at the moment. A good way to start is when you find yourself thinking about something you need to do, something that’s already happened, or something that might happen, take a deep breath and think about the thing you are doing right now to gently bring yourself back to the present moment.
Try this: Close your eyes and imagine you are watching leaves float down a stream. Imagine that each of your thoughts is one of these leaves as you just watch them float away without focusing any of them. Practicing this will make it easier for you to let the thoughts flow through your mind and allow you to stay more focused.
Breathe
When you find yourself speeding up and stressing out, pause and take a deep breath. Take a couple more. Really feel the air coming into your body, and feel the stress going out. By focusing on each breath, you allow yourself to come back to the present and refocus your attention on your experience.
Try this: I teach all of my clients this simple technique to immediately dissolve stress. Push your stomach out and take a nice deep breath in. Fill your lungs as deeply as you can, hold the full breath for just a second, and let it out slowly. Do this at least three times and notice how much better you feel. There is some science at work here that causes a natural state of calm. You have to breathe anyway, why not do it better?
Slowing down allows you to be more productive, calmer, healthier, and keep your mind quieter. Try these simple tools for yourself, and create your own Peace and Quiet!∎
Karen Gray is a Certified Hypnotist, Registered Nurse, and Director of Green Mountain Hypnosis. For more information on how you can use hypnosis to live a better life, visit www.greenmountainhypnosis.com, email karengray@greenmountainhypnosis.com, or call (802) 566-0464.