In today’s fast paced society, it can be hard to find time for things that don’t have a direct impact on your work or other responsibilities.
Slow living is about finding time outside of these obligations to spend with family, get outdoors or simply do nothing in order to recharge your mental battery. It’s about taking the time to enjoy life at a slower pace and doing everything you can to improve your quality of life!
Slow living is becoming increasingly popular as people are realising how important it is for their well-being. This article will explore what slow living entails, why this might be something you want in your own life and how you can integrate this into whatever lifestyle you currently lead.
Table of Contents
What is slow living?
The slow living movement encourages people to take a step back from society’s fast pace and enjoy life at a slower speed.
Slow living means making an effort to live your life at a slower pace in order to improve the overall quality of your experience.
It encompasses things like spending more time outdoors, reconnecting with family and friends, cooking at home instead of eating out, cutting back on work hours or taking classes that will enhance you as a person in some way.
Slow living doesn’t necessarily mean moving at a snail’s pace all day; it simply means making an effort to integrate small changes into your daily routine that will help you get the most out of life without sacrificing productivity or success.
Where did slow living originate?
It first began in Italy with the slow food movement in response to the introduction of fast food in the 1980s.
This movement encouraged people to take a step back from their busy lives and enjoy the simple pleasure of cooking together, sharing a meal and appreciating food that has been sourced in a sustainable manner.
Why slow down?
Those who embrace living slowly are often happier, healthier and more productive as they seek to have experiences that will enrich their lives.
As we go through our daily routines, we tend to become consumed by thinking about what needs to be accomplished today. We often find ourselves running around, barely able to keep up with the demands of our everyday life.
Slow living is about finding a way to slow down the pace at which you go through your daily life so that you can stop and really appreciate what’s going on around you without feeling like there isn’t enough time in the day.
By taking some time each day to do something you enjoy or spending more time with friends and family, you’ll feel less stressed about everything that needs to get done and have more fulfillment from doing important things that actually matter to you.
By spending less time working (or commuting), it will free up more time for exercise and relaxation; this will help improve your mental health and overall quality of life!
As we become busier throughout college and into adulthood, it can be difficult to make time for the things in life that don’t have a direct impact on our productivity or responsibilities.
Slow living is about making an effort to improve your well-being by incorporating small changes into your daily routine that will help you get the most out of life without sacrificing productivity or success.
What makes the idea of slow living so popular today
In the past few years, there has been a growing trend towards sustainable forms of living and self-care or mental health awareness. Slow living falls right under these categories and is very popular as people are becoming more aware of the things we do on a daily basis that make us feel happy or fulfilled.
Growing environmental awareness makes us want to take care of the world we live in and leave it in a better condition than we found it. Slow living can be an integral part of this as it encourages us to reduce our carbon footprint by reducing the amount of time we spend commuting or shopping.
With growing mental health awareness, it’s also becoming increasingly important to make time for self-care and relaxation in order to better your mental well-being.
What are the benefits of slow living
Some people might say that the more you have going on in your life, the better. There’s only one problem with this philosophy – it’s not necessarily true.
Whether you are a stay-at-home parent who spends their days taking care of young children or someone working in an office with a 9-5 job, finding free time to get outside and enjoy the fresh air or having some me-time to recharge your batteries can be a challenge.
The benefits of practicing slow living include:
Improved mental health and quality of life
When we don’t take time out to relax or do nothing at all, this can negatively affect our mental health and ultimately lower our quality of life.
Improved physical health through exercise
The great thing about slow living is that it’s not only good for your mental health, it can also be great for your physical wellbeing as well.
Improved environmental awareness and reduced carbon footprint
When you start a slow life, it’s not just your fellow humans that will benefit Our natural environment actually needs a little ‘me time’ from us!
Being able to appreciate the little things in life
Instead of becoming overly stressed about everything you have to get done each day, slow living will help you appreciate the little things that happen around you. In simple living style, you’ll be able to enjoy the simple things in life.
A closer connection with nature
When you slow down your pace of living, it will be easier to take time out and recognise the importance of our connection with nature.
Improved relationships with others
When we’re busy getting through the day with minimal breaks, it can be difficult to find free time to spend with family and friends. Slow living gives you the opportunity to reconnect with your loved ones.
How you can practice slow living in your own life
In today’s society, it seems like everyone has an activity planned every day of the week – so slowing down might seem counterintuitive since there are so many things to do.
Slowing down does not mean giving up all activity – it simply means doing things at a slower pace. It can be as simple as putting off that Netflix binge for one more day or just taking some time to sit in the park and do nothing at all. This is what slow living entails.
The key is finding a balance between slowing down and going at your usual pace. Here are some ideas for ways to fit slow living into your busy lifestyle:
- Take up an activity that you can practice daily or weekly but doesn’t take up too much time
- Prioritise having some me-time to yourself even if you have to schedule it in your planner and block out a specific amount of time
- Be aware of the little moments that make life special such as spotting a hummingbird tending to its nest or seeing a couple embrace after they finish grocery shopping together.
- Make sure you’re getting at least eight hours of sleep every night and taking steps to ensure you’re getting enough rest
- Make time for a weekly date night with your significant other – this doesn’t have to be extravagant or expensive, just a chance to spend some quality time with each other and catch up on what’s going on in your lives
- Go on a family outing at least once per week- whether this is a hike up in the mountains or an afternoon at the park, it will be a chance to share an activity together and create memories
- Turn off the TV and take some time once a week to do nothing for an hour or two. If you really want to challenge yourself, try getting outside for an hour of sitting on the grass every day
- Spend ten minutes each morning grounding yourself by focusing on what’s going on around you instead of scrolling through social media posts
Final thoughts on what is slow living
It’s tempting to say “yes” to every opportunity or obligation with the belief that it will lead to success. In reality, though, when we overcommit ourselves our productivity and well-being often suffer as a result.
Slow living is about taking time to do what you love, while also making sure that your mental health stays intact.
Slowing down does not mean giving up on everything in life; rather it means doing things at a slower pace so you can find balance between work commitments and self care needs. If any of these principles resonate with how you feel right now, take some steps to incorporate slow living into your daily or weekly routine
Are you interested in a slow living lifestyle and living life to the fullest? Get ready to slow down, take stock and enjoy life a little more!
Read also:
How to be happy with what you have: 7 secret steps
15 Ideas for sustainable living: Ultimate beginners guide
Don’t take life for granted: 15 ways to enjoy the simple things in life
Great post! I’ve read a lot about slow living recently and this is a great insight into what it really means for someone x
Thanks Eleanor 🙂
Lovely post! I noticed the benefits of as slower pace during lockdown. Getting more done is not always great. I have swapped my night death scrolling into crossword puzzles and I noticed that I sleep better. Also I get tired way before 11pm which is good when alarm goes off at 7am 🙂
That’s great that you’ve swapped the night scrolling for crosswords!
I loved this. Your post reminded me of a TED talk I watched that was saying there is nothing wrong with living a slow but fulfilling life. We’re so accustomed to constantly being “busy” and the “hustle” culture that we think there’s something wrong if we just slow down and choose live for the simpler moments.
Thank you for sharing.
I 100% agree! Thanks for reading 🙂
Slow living is intriguing , particularly if it means being more ecofriendly.
It really is 🙂
What a wonderful post and beautiful blog. I practice mindfulness, and slow living is right up my street. I’ve bookmarked the page for the handy tips at the bottom. I find when I’m in a creative mind, and I work on my hobbies is the best time for me to slow down and enjoy the thing I’m making 🙂
That’s really great Lou!
I love the idea of slow living and can definitely see the benefits! Thanks so much for sharing some suggestions on how to implement it into our lives!
You’re welcome Tiffany, I’m glad you liked the post 🙂
There are definitely so many benefits in slow living, especially that it helps improve mental health and wellbeing x
Absolutely 100% agree 🙂
Love this! I hadn’t heard of slow living before but it sounds like such a great way of appreciating the simple things and improving our mental health. Thanks for sharing x
That’s exactly what it’s all about! Thank you 🙂
Such a good reminder to slow down… I am guilty of piling a lot on and never giving myself time to recharge, especially this time of year. I always thing “when it gets colder I’ll slow down” but then I have blinked and it is another year that has flown by. I need to do better at making a conscious effort to do nothing not just for me, but for my family.
Absolutely Kimberly, in a blink of an eye time will have gone and we’ll have wished that we slowed down and spent more time with our family!
Ah I love this post and all the tips you’ve included! The pandemic has really taught me the importance of living slowly and I’ve taken it on board a lot more xx
My mindset definitely shifted during the pandemic, as it did for many people. For all the bad it brought, I think it also brought some positives.
Oh I definitely need some slow living in my life. My days are going by way too fast, I feel like I’m not enjoying any of my life! Love this info!
Thanks Jackie, I feel like the days fly by so quickly when we have so much going on!
Slow living is good. It helps you to improve your mental and physical health. Plus, it’s also self-care. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks Fadima, I’m glad you liked it.
Great post! I would love to incorporate more slow living into my own life but find it hard to “turn off” and not constantly be working on something or thinking about my to-do list. I love the tips at the bottom, so it’s something I can try to work on!
I totally understand Sarah, I think we’re all guilty of it at times. But even just a little time every day can make a great difference.
When everyone is posting on magazine time with motivation and productivity including me, here’s a Poston enjoying all else that were limited or made time bound in our posts. Haha. Literally a good idea and a thought. Definitely something we all overlooked even. We are all onto being robotic but it’s what matters as living life as a human and enjoying and taking in all that is around us. Very thought out post. Xx
Isa A. Blogger
Loved reading this! I definitely do not embrace slow living. I am a grab-every opportunity type of gal! I do know when to take breaks and turn off the online world. My dream is to live in a small town in the next 3-5 years! I hate living in the city. Thanks for sharing x
That’s a lovely dream to have! I grew up in the countryside and all I wanted was to live in a big city. Years later, I now want to live in a small village instead haha