I’ve never been one for taking things slowly. I like to move fast, and I am good at multi-tasking. In fact, I have often prided myself on my ability to get things done simply due to my fast-paced attitude to life.

The thing is, moving fast all the time can end up being an burden. Sure, you can get far in life this way, and I owe a lot to my ability to power through things. Still, after a while, it becomes impractical to keep up the pace not to mention physically, mentally and emotionally, you can burn out.

I am sure some of you can relate when I say it’s usually when we are rushing or trying to do a million things at once that we forget things, tense up and even sometimes, (I speak from experience!) bump into something or trip over.
You can be fooled into thinking faster is better as you focus in on specific tasks and goals, meeting challenges, and feeling a certain success at your productivity.

The truth is that it is challenging to be mindful, conscious, and connected when you are rushing. And being mindful and connected are integral to living a creative, fulfilled, and happy life that you are manifesting.

In other words, to be intentional with your life is to move slowly and steadily through it.
I’m going to share with you some of my top tips for becoming more conscious of how fast you move through life, how to start slowing down and doing less without losing your productivity.

Since adopting some of these steps myself, I am more energized, motivated, and disciplined, plus I get more done!
The secret is all in being more intentional and mindful with your actions.

Slow Down

Do you ever feel like you have a million tabs open in your brain? I’ve been there, and it’s nerve-wracking! The first thing to do is to identify where in your life you tend to speed through things.

• Is it the way you eat and prepare meals?
• Communicate via emails and text messages or phone calls?
• House work?
• Travelling to and from work or errands?
• It could be your thoughts that are fast and your breathing.
• It could be all of the above!

Only you can identify where you fit in terms of the scale of being fast vs slow.

Check-in With your Speed

The quickest way to find out is to just check in with yourself several times a day to see how quickly you are moving through tasks and most importantly, how you are feeling.

I like to do this throughout my day at certain key intervals.

Eating

For example, when I am eating, I check in with how fast I am chewing and swallowing. Are you savoring your food or gulping it down?

Writing Emails

Another good check-in point is in the morning when I start replying to administrative emails. I used to rush through these, trying to get as much done as fast as possible so that I could move on to something creative. Now, I stop, check-in with my breathing and slow myself down. As a result, I am more aware of the words I choose and most importantly the energy I am directing outwards.

Walking from Place to Place

I also check-in with my speed when I am walking down the street. I stop and connect to myself, realizing that I am not mindful of how I move my body. I make a conscious decision to walk slower and appreciate my surroundings, taking a deep breath of fresh air, and grounding myself.

Consciously Check-in Throughout the day for 21 days

Twenty-one days is just a suggestion; you can take a week or a month,what’s important is to set a time and stick to it. For the next days, remember to check-in with your speed and be present in it. Feel how fast your thoughts move, become aware of the speed of your inhalations and exhalations, are you shallow breathing rather than taking deep belly breaths? Become very observant of your pace and adjust it accordingly.

One of the most challenging aspects of choosing to slow down is the frustration that can occur, especially for us who like to move fast!

I am not suggesting that you skip the crucial things in your life nor that you move at a snail’s pace! Doing things more slowly and mindfully simply means moving at a different rhythm and as such, emitting a different energetic frequency.

It is possible to achieve more when your energy is intentional rather than hurried and scattered.

So while you might feel the need to rush through lunch, actually stopping to chew and appreciate your food will change your entire energy for whatever task you do afterwards. It’s also an act of self-love to consider how you move through life and prioritize doing things at a calm pace that make you feel good.

My final advice = Surrender

The last thing I want to say on the topic is this – if you feel overwhelmed and constantly ‘busy’, stop and surrender to the Universe.
Trust in doing nothing and allowing the Universe to show you the way forward.

Take some deep, mindful breaths and let yourself sink into that quiet stillness for just a few moments.

Allow for space in your life. Allow for simple, quiet, graceful moments. Notice how much lighter you feel when you breathe deeper. Notice how much more in control you feel when you move with intention.

Slowing down doesn’t mean doing less; it means doing more with intention, focused energy and a higher vibration.