Slow Living. The Forgotten Art Of Enjoying Life

   Americans admire productive people. Entrepreneurs and visionaries who  hustle and put in the hours are Rock Stars. But what if our obsession with productivity is quietly stealing the very life we're trying to improve?

   Could it be what makes you proud of your life, repays you by sucking the life out of you?

   If you are following along on the Cultural Skeptic journey (and I hope you are), you’ll pick up the vibe of not going along with the standard norms of the crowd. 

   We aren’t radicals, but want to arrive at our own conclusions in our own time as opposed to the unquestioned and commonly accepted narrative. 

   Sometimes we’ll find the same answers most others have. That’s fine. But it’s better because we trust it more since we have used our own intellect instead of swallowing the information whole without a question or protest.

   A narrative that I’ve been smelling a rat about is the pace of life in America. 

   In the United States we value productivity, success and getting things done. We love go-getters that kick down the barriers to the life they want. Who doesn’t admire a person in charge of their own destiny?

   Pursuing a dream is part of the magic of being free. It’s beautiful. We esteem the one smiling on the magazine cover, the athlete holding up the trophy or the jockey in the Winners Circle. We love champions! 

   To be clear, I am not bashing America. This system has elevated humanity and our quality of life more than any other. While a hundred million people perished under Communism in the twentieth century, many more have thrived and lived in comfort under Freedom. 

The Productivity Trap

   No. What I’m talking about is the admiration of the guy with a phone to his ear running to board the plane, firing off an important email at the dinner table and multi-tasking during most of life. 

   Something important breaks down when we equate success with a driven, distracted, way-too-busy person with little free time. 

   Hitting goals requires work and sacrifice. I’m not advocating for laziness.

   But an excellent quality of life is more than just a career or finances. It includes down time and savoring the moment while doing nothing. Having coffee on the porch or some casual conversation adds a dimension to life that can’t be quantified. We don’t need to fill up every second of the day with activity. A need for continuous productivity may be a caution flag to pause and re-evaluate the ‘whys’ driving that belief. Many people strive to make a great life and then remove the margins that make it enjoyable. 

  Slow Down!

   Slow Living is a growing phenomenon that calls out the frenetic lifestyle for the madness it is. Many of us have been here for years but didn’t have a label for it. 

   Slow Living abandons the breathless pace which finds us at the end of the day without contentment or tranquility, only items crossed off the list in our heads.  

   An unexpected consequence of gearing down is you don’t really lose any productivity by practicing it, you just enjoy the day more. Slowing down and breathing lets you feel human instead of a machine running at full capacity. 

   Maybe we have gotten in front of our skis by attempting and expecting too much from ourselves. 

   From my experience, I have one guy to blame for problems in my life. It’s not my boss, my wife and it sure isn’t God putting pressure on me.

    It’s that demanding jerk staring back at me in the mirror. It’s me and my unrealistic expectations.

   This is why I find the Slow Living concept so attractive. It invites us to sit down, slow down and relax. It grants permission to silence the voice in our head that barks orders to do and be more.

                                     Why Multitasking Doesn’t Work

   We aren’t talking about becoming vegetables and doing nothing. Life and an orderly society needs productivity to function properly. But by backing off the accelerator, we’re able to pay attention to the task at hand and be present in the moment.

   Slowing down can expose multitasking as the myth it is. It’s a badge of honor for high achievers but can undermine the quality of work and life of the person doing it. We can’t commit full attention to more than one thing. Doing too many tasks scatters our focus. 

   An article published in Psychology Today cites a study showing reduced cognitive control and even memory loss from a regular habit of multitasking, as well as increased distractibility, stress and anxiety.

   It isn’t just our health at risk, but also the relationships we value most. Our significant others want to be heard, understood and valued. It takes time for that to happen. You can’t be efficient with relationships. The down time, communication and relaxing together IS the productivity. This paradox offers credibility to Slow Living. 

                                              The Comparison Lie

    Our media saturated society perpetuates the fast lane mindset. The content we consume is rife with people on trips, buying cars, dining out and doing life at full tilt. 

   Madison Avenue loves to make us think we’re the only ones driving home to cook some dinner, balance the checkbook and do regular non-sensationalized chores that are never seen on television or social media. 

   Highly driven successful people do boring and mundane tasks too. Cultural Skeptics reject the lie that others lead exciting lives while we are the bores who bathe the dog and wash the dishes.

   Nope! Total fabrication. I love my life which includes many humdrum tasks. 

   Sure, I admire other people. We all do. But never discount your existence by the comparison trap. It’s bogus and de-values the excellent life of a real person.

                                            Learn From Children

   You know this is true if you spend time with children. They have no agenda or goal. They just live, experience, explore and enjoy. Kids are never in a hurry and love their lives. 

   Slowing down is inserting the pace of life you enjoyed as a kid into your adult life. You have more responsibilities now, but can still have playfulness, rest, daydreaming and ignore the harshness of the world for a time. 

   Doing less (or nothing) can be fulfilling and satisfying because it builds margins you may have forgotten you need. 

   If this resonates but you’re still unsure, set a timer for fifteen minutes with a beverage of your choice, sit in a comfortable chair and do absolutely nothing. 

   If your mind is revving up and it feels like a waste of time, you’re probably a prime candidate for slowing down. It shouldn’t feel so foreign to indulge yourself for a short time. 

   The Italian people have a wonderful phrase: ‘Il dolce far niente.’ It means ‘The sweetness of doing nothing.’ This mindset offers a rich dimension to an overworked life. It’s an invitation to do less and let the world operate without us for a while. It’s a great but humbling reminder, the world functioned before we were here and will go on after we leave. It’s okay to sit on the bench and watch the game without participating for a play or two. It’s liberating to know the world carries on without us.

   Living slower is the antidote for craziness. Of course the work we do is important, it matters. But somehow it’s been prioritized over the quality of our time on the planet. We matter too and it’s time for a paradigm shift and a re-evaluation of priorities so we aren’t at the bottom of the agenda. 

   But how does a person downshift from a perspective deeply ingrained for years?

   Slowly and intentionally. 

                                      Mindfulness

   One technique is meditation and mindfulness. Some shy away from this because it  may sound woo-woo if you’re unfamiliar with it. 

   If you have a Christian tradition, you may resist because of the ‘Buddhist’ vibe. Fear not. The Bible speaks of meditation, the importance of quality thinking and living one day at a time. The early church fathers practiced silence and stillness as part of their worship. The Western church has largely left this behind.

   Mindfulness is living in the present moment, while postponing the past issues and future obligations for now. 

   It is an antidote for the monkey brain, which is the mind entertaining many thoughts erratically at once. It is hitting the PAUSE button on life.

                                   Take a Breath

   Breathing intentionally is a part of this practice. Paying attention to the breath can lower blood pressure and slow the heart rate as well help keep you in the moment. By the way, there are no negative side effects of breathing and being quiet like the ones accompanied with prescription drugs. 

                                    Gratitude Changes Everything

   Gratitude is another super power that rides alongside this thinking. Stopping to count blessings of what you already have is a great habit. We are a blessed people. Blessed doesn’t mean perfect or ideal. We all have challenges but being grateful raises our quality of life. There are more reasons to be thankful than to complain.

    It can be small things we usually overlook. They hold value nonetheless. A kind word, devotion of a dog or a near miss at an intersection. 

   If you’re a person of faith, Jesus called this out centuries ago: “Learn the unforced rhythms of grace . . . and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Mt 11 (MSG)

                                           Begin Today

   Small steps are the best way to make a change. Build fifteen minutes into your morning schedule to create margin. It can set the pace for the whole day. 

   Have coffee without your phone. Just sit without accomplishing anything. Or walk around the block and take in the fresh air. 

   Remember the things you’re grateful for. It makes your life richer. 

   Cultural Skeptics deserve a better life. Slow down, breathe and be grateful for your awesome life. Don’t buy into the hustle and grind nonsense.

   The goal isn't to just do less. It's to savor the present moment. Your good life is happening now, not someday when the to-do list is finished.