5 Important Reasons to Slow Down Today

5 Important Reasons to Slow Down Today

 Do you find yourself rushing from one task to the next, trying to cram¹ as much as possible into each day?

It’s great to live a full, productive life … but sometimes that doesn’t mean speeding up. It means slowing down.

Slowing down could be as simple as taking ten minutes each day to meditate². It could mean giving yourself permission to sit and read a novel all evening, instead of catching³ up on your to-do list. Or it might involve having a vacation somewhere relaxing, to get away from the busyness of daily life.

If you struggle to slow down, perhaps one of these reasons will convince you to give it a go:

#1: You’ll be Healthier

Your health is one of the most important assets you have. If you get sick or injured, you could end up losing months of productive time – you might even cause yourself problems that last for the rest of your life.

Even if your health isn’t brilliant right now, slowing down is almost certainly going to help you too.

When you slow down, you might:

Relax more – reducing your stress levels

Take time for exercise – perhaps a leisurely⁴ walk with your significant other

Notice health niggles before they develop into major problems

#2: You’ll Appreciate the Little Things

When did you last really savor⁵ a cup of coffee – instead of gulping⁶ it down at your desk while frantically⁷ answering emails? When did you last gaze out of the window and enjoy the view?

These lines are from the poem Leisure by W.H Davies, published in 1911:

What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare?

(You can find the whole poem here.)

Our busyness today is little different from the busyness that people faced a century ago: like them, we too don’t really live full lives unless we have “time to stand and stare.”

#3: You’ll Find Clarity

When you’re busy running around doing things, it’s very difficult to see them at a slightly higher level. Maybe you have a small business and it’s not going as well as it should, or you’re not happy in your career path … but you’re so busy that you never stop to actually think about solutions.

Often, simply taking some time out from life can stir up new thoughts and ideas, and give you much more clarity about your current situation. This could mean having a quiet afternoon in a coffee shop with a notepad and pen and your own thoughts, or going on a weekend-long retreat.

You might decide you need to take action as a result, making changes in your life or work. Or, you might find you come to terms with something that’s been bothering you – perhaps you can recognize that, while it’s not a perfect situation, it’s one you can endure for the time being.

#4: You’ll Have Time for Others

Do the important people in your life ever get short-changed? Perhaps you’re often too busy to play with your kids (or to actually listen while they chatter⁸ to you), or you struggle to find time to have a conversation with your spouse⁹.

When you slow down, you open up space in your life for other people. They might be family members, friends, colleagues … people who you want to treat well, but who you often don’t seem to have time for.

This has huge benefits: you’re much more likely to build strong, lasting¹⁰ relationships in both your personal and professional life.

#5: You’ll Make Fewer Mistakes

I’m sure you’ve had the experience of making a silly mistake while in a rush – I know I have! When you live life at a run, it’s very easy for things to go wrong. Maybe you speed, and get a ticket – or have an accident. Maybe you trip while hurrying through the house, and sprain¹¹ your ankle.

In your work, a small error could cause big problems. Perhaps you finish that big report, but completely forget to email it to your boss by the deadline. Maybe an important client meeting slips your mind because you jotted¹² it on a post-it note while in a hurry, and it never made it into your diary.

Of course, all of us make mistakes sometimes … but by slowing down, you have a much better chance of catching and correcting little slips (like misspelling a clients name in an email) at a stage where you can still put them right.

Do you need to slow down today? What reasons will help you make that a priority? Let us know in the comments…

1 cram   

v.填塞，塞满，临时抱佛脚，为考试而学习

参考例句：

• There was such a cram in the church.教堂里拥挤得要命。
• The room's full,we can't cram any more people in.屋里满满的，再也挤不进去人了。

2 meditate   

v.想，考虑，（尤指宗教上的）沉思，冥想

参考例句：

• It is important to meditate on the meaning of life.思考人生的意义很重要。
• I was meditating,and reached a higher state of consciousness.我在冥想，并进入了一个更高的意识境界。

3 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

4 leisurely   

adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的

参考例句：

• We walked in a leisurely manner,looking in all the windows.我们慢悠悠地走着，看遍所有的橱窗。
• He had a leisurely breakfast and drove cheerfully to work.他从容的吃了早餐，高兴的开车去工作。

5 savor   

vt.品尝，欣赏；n.味道，风味；情趣，趣味

参考例句：

• The soup has a savor of onion.这汤有洋葱味。
• His humorous remarks added a savor to our conversation.他幽默的话语给谈话增添了风趣。

6 gulping   

v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的现在分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住

参考例句：

• She crawled onto the river bank and lay there gulping in air. 她爬上河岸，躺在那里喘着粗气。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• And you'll even feel excited gulping down a glass. 你甚至可以感觉到激动下一杯。 来自互联网

7 frantically   

ad.发狂地, 发疯地

参考例句：

• He dashed frantically across the road. 他疯狂地跑过马路。
• She bid frantically for the old chair. 她发狂地喊出高价要买那把古老的椅子。

8 chatter   

vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战

参考例句：

• Her continuous chatter vexes me.她的喋喋不休使我烦透了。
• I've had enough of their continual chatter.我已厌烦了他们喋喋不休的闲谈。

9 spouse   

n.配偶(指夫或妻)

参考例句：

• Her spouse will come to see her on Sunday.她的丈夫星期天要来看她。
• What is the best way to keep your spouse happy in the marriage?在婚姻中保持配偶幸福的最好方法是什么？

10 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

11 sprain   

n.扭伤,扭筋

参考例句：

• He got a foot sprain in his ankle. 他脚踝受了严重的扭伤。
• The sprain made my ankle swell up. 我的脚踝扭伤肿了起来。

12 jotted   

v.匆忙记下( jot的过去式和过去分词 )；草草记下，匆匆记下

参考例句：

• I jotted down her name. 我匆忙记下了她的名字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The policeman jotted down my address. 警察匆匆地将我的地址记下。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》