Slow living is a concept of living with fewer things and more experiences. It’s about slowing down your life so that you have time to enjoy the little things in life, which I think is important. This means that you need to change your routine and learn how to relax while enjoying the beauty around you. Slow living also means being mindful about what you’re doing, even if it’s as simple as washing dishes or folding socks while watching TV on the couch instead of paying attention to the news or reading an online article while doing chores like vacuuming or sweeping floors—even though those are necessary tasks too! In this process, slow living can help us be more aware of our surroundings because we’re spending less time distracted by technology or rushing through tasks just so we can get out there and enjoy something else later on in our lives when we’ll regret not having done so during childhood days (and beyond).
What is slow living?
Slow living is about slowing down and enjoying the present moment, rather than constantly rushing from one thing to another. It’s not about doing nothing—in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Slow living simply means that you don’t have to do everything in a day; instead of trying to cram as much into your schedule as possible, you can slow down by doing less and savoring more.
As a result of this moderate pace, you’ll find that you’re happier and healthier it (you’re probably sick of hearing me say this sentence again). When people can take their time in life without having to rush through things or feel pressured by other people’s expectations or demands, they tend to be more satisfied with their lives overall.
Myths about slow living
Slow living is not about being lazy. It’s not about doing nothing, or even less than you’re used to doing. It doesn’t mean that you have to quit your job and reside in a log cabin or start making all of your own clothes from scratch.
In fact, if slow living meant giving up all technology—cars, phones and computers—you’d probably have very few people who considered themselves “slow” at all. As it turns out, there are many modern conveniences that can be incorporated into this lifestyle with no problem at all; in fact, many of these things can actually make life easier.
How to start slow living?
Slow living is a way of life that promotes slowing down and giving yourself space. It’s about living a relaxed routine of everyday life, rather than rushing through it without thinking.
The goal is to intentionally reduce your pace and increase your quality of life. This means changing the means you perceive things, think about them, and act upon them. It means using fewer things (objects) in order to inhabit with less stress and enjoy the silence and scenic beauty more often. You will also expect less from others as well as from yourself, which helps build resilience for when things don’t go according to plan.
Techniques of slow living
Give yourself space
Slow living is about giving yourself space to enjoy at a relaxed pace—to think, relax, reflect and breathe.
I have found that a gentle lifestyle requires intentional action: I must give myself permission to take time off from my busy schedule, schedule time for myself and make decisions that are not based on the need for instant gratification. In other words, it’s important to have some space between work and play so that you don’t feel like you’re always running late or missing out on something fun because someone else has already planned it for you.
Slow routine of everyday life
Slow living is a lifestyle that focuses on slowing down the pace of everyday life. It doesn’t mean you have to take it easy and hang out in your pajamas all day; instead, slow living means taking more time out of every day to enjoy all the things you love.
Slow routines are often considered “boring,” but they can be some of the most rewarding experiences in life because they help us appreciate everything we already have. The simple act of going for a walk or finding something new to do by yourself can leave you feeling refreshed and invigorated at the end of your day (and not just because you got outside). Slow routines can open up new opportunities for self-improvement and personal growth if done right: If nothing else, they’ll allow us more time with people we care about while making sure we don’t get stuck doing something we dislike too much on any given day.
The key to creating an effective slow routine is finding one that fits into your lifestyle without feeling like work—one that makes each moment count toward improving both yourself as an individual person as well as society as a whole (in whatever manner seems appropriate).
Expect low
The first step to achieving slow living is setting your expectations low. Be realistic. Don’t expect too much from yourself, or from others, or from the environment, or even from life itself.
The best technique to achieve this is by putting things into perspective: if you don’t expect too much out of life then it won’t disappoint you when it doesn’t meet your expectations. The same goes for other aspects of your life; if you don’t set high standards then there isn’t anything that can be disappointing about them (other than their own inherent qualities).
Use less things
The relaxed living movement encourages you to have a life free of excess. Simplify your possessions, reduce how many things you buy, and decrease how much food and money you use. And while it sounds counterintuitive at first, this can actually be good for your health and happiness.
By purchasing less stuff, we’re taking control over our lives instead of letting the world dictate what we do with them. We become more conscious consumers. We recognize that we don’t need every new gadget or trend in order to be happy; we simply need our basic needs met so that we can experience true joy on a daily basis.
Eat less food
- Eat less food
- Improve the quality of your diet by reducing the number of processed foods and junk food you consume
- Eat more slowly, pay attention to what you’re eating, and enjoy it more
- Eat more veggies, fruits and other plant-based foods (a standard recommendation for good health)
- Reduce or eliminate salt from your diet (while salt in moderation isn’t a problem for most people, those who have high blood pressure should consider this step)
Enjoy the silence and scenic beauty
Take a moment to appreciate the beauty of silence. More often than not, we feel compelled to fill every minute with something—even if it’s the sounds of our own voices. But there’s a reason why silence is so often associated with peace and tranquility: it allows us to relax and tune into our surroundings without distraction.
Silence can be found in many places these days—in nature, for example—but one place where it’s especially appreciated is during sunset or sunrise on clear nights when there are few clouds in the sky. The lack of light pollution makes it easier for your eyes (and brain) to see clearly, so even if you’re not looking directly at any stars or planets during this time period, you’ll notice more detail around them than usual because your pupils will dilate more widely in response to darkness than they would otherwise do during daytime hours when sunlight is present everywhere around us all day long.
Reduce interest in electronic things
If you want to live slowly, you need to reduce the interest rate on your electronic things.
Electronic things are a great strategy to get more done in less time, but they also make it easier for us to lose track of our goals and feel like we’re constantly busy. If we don’t have enough time for ourselves, or if we spend one too many hours working on a project that doesn’t matter as much as another thing that could be done instead (like sitting down with friends), then something has gone wrong with our lives. In order to feel less stressed out about work and more focused on what matters most in life – spending time with family or friends – try lowering the interest rate on electronic things by:
- Reducing social media usage;
- Reducing television viewing;
- Limiting video game play;
- Cutting back on internet browsing;
You can also lower the interest rate on your “electronic life” by adopting habits such as eating dinner together as a family every night so that everyone has an opportunity to share their day (and connect).
Engage on hobby
Engaging in a hobby, however, is not just something to do when you want to relax. It’s also a process of slowing down and savoring the moments of your life. It’s an opportunity for you to use your mind, body, and spirit toward something meaningful. Hobbies can help us connect with others by taking on different projects together or by sharing our passions through events like craft fairs or art shows.
Change the way of thought
Slow living is not about being lazy, it’s about reducing stress. It is about having more time for yourself and your family. Slow living is not about buying things you don’t need to make yourself feel good, but learning how to be content with what you already have. It may sound boring at first, but once you start practicing slow living in your daily life, it will become more than just a trend: it will become a lifestyle that allows you to live in harmony with the world around us and appreciate what we have right now.
Advantages of slow living
Relief from stress
Stress is a common problem, and that’s no surprise. It’s easy to feel stressed out when you have too much on your plate or when you’re worried about the future.
While it might not be possible to eliminate all of the stressors in your life, you can take steps toward reducing them. Slow living can help reduce stress both physically and mentally by encouraging you to focus less on your responsibilities and more on taking care of yourself.
Enhances creativity
Creativity is the process of making something new. It’s a way to deal with problems, a way to solve problems and find solutions, and it can even be used as a tool for finding new ideas. In other words, creativity is everywhere—and it can help you live your life more slowly in every possible way.
If you want to make your life more creative (and therefore slower), consider these actions:
- Give yourself time and space to think creatively about the things that matter most to you; don’t rush through them just because they have deadlines attached or someone else says they need doing right away.
- Don’t be afraid of failure; embrace it as an opportunity for growth! Learning from mistakes makes us better at whatever we try next time around—and this goes double when we learn how not just ignore but internalize our failures instead of letting them hold us back from success later on down the line (or perhaps even farther than that).
Gather lots of experiences
Slow living is about getting the most out of life. It’s about making a conscious decision to live more mindfully and with intention.
In order to really make use of your time, slow down and live in the moment. Slow down so that you can be present for whatever it is that is happening right now—for instance, being there for your friends as they experience something important or personal in their lives. Slow living gives us an opportunity to appreciate what is important right now, right here: our loved ones and ourselves.
Conclusion
“Slow living” is a new way of life that’s gaining popularity among millennials. It has nothing to do with slowing down, but it does have everything to do with slowing down and enjoying the little things in life.
Take a deep breath and realize how nice it feels. That’s what “slow living” is all about—taking some time out each day for yourself or your family and friends so you can take pleasure in the simple joys of life.
