Help! I Want to Slow Down But Can’t
When you’re working, it can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind. But many of us have been to the place where your body is telling us to slow down, but our mind is saying, I want to do more.
Sometimes, it’s your mind that says pause, but your body is conditioned to be on the move. What do you do then? How do you unlearn and disrupt the cycle and conditioning of being on the go when you need to rest?
If you think about it, most people are always running around—from work to family obligations, from school to errands and appointments, from housework to social engagements—and sometimes we feel like we don’t have time for anything else. But what if we could take a moment every day, or often to stop everything? What if we could set aside some time for just us and make this practice of pausing intentional, even when we don’t think we need it?
- The first thing to keep in mind is that this is not something that needs to be forced. You don’t need to force yourself into stopping—you can just start doing things differently. For example, imagine what it would be like if you had no obligations to anything or anyone for an extended period of time. What would you do?
Write those items down, pick a day within the next 2 weeks, and schedule no less than 2 hours to do just that and only that.
Reflect on the things you loved to do when you were a child. Pick up something you once did and re-explore it again. Remember, when you do this, you are committing to only doing this particular task.
- Re-training our bodies and minds happens in small, consistent, repeated activities. Pairing the down time with something you enjoy helps the unlearning process.
- Consume media and content that focuses on the benefits of rest. Watch films or videos about sabbaticals and the renewed energy received from it. Listen to podcasts that talk about the success of rest. This is another aspect of re-conditioning using positive social pressure.
- Enlist an accountability team. Let others close to you know that you want to practice rest with more intention, but that you find it hard to do so. Let them help you by having conversations and providing encouragement for you to take it easy.
As an entrepreneur with an extensive family history of burnt-out professionals, the desire to be like an energizer bunny is embedded in my DNA. I have to be intentional, and proactive to maintain the order and structure of rest in my life. I can and have done it successfully, but it doesn’t mean I don’t slip up and fail at times. This is when I enlist the above strategy and several other techniques to re-route my focus.
Rest and slowing down is not just about taking vacations. It’s about operating at our optimal levels of performance, mind, body, soul and spirit.
If we can get this right, we can help our brains to function better, think clearly, and make good decisions.
Last week, ALL of my clients reported updates and wins related to their desired goal of well-being and rest. I am so proud of them, and myself for being able to support them in their journey.
If you are struggling to have better work-life integration, are taking on more work when you know you are tired and ready to have more and do less, let’s talk. Let me know if you are ready to put yourself first.
I got you.
No better time to get started, than now. Book a call to get started.
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