Slow living is a lifestyle that emphasizes mindfulness, intentionality, and simplicity. It encourages individuals to slow down, prioritize self-care, and focus on the present moment. Slow living involves simplifying one's schedule, reducing distractions, and surrounding oneself with only the things that bring joy and fulfillment. It's about taking the time to savor moments, connect with others, and appreciate the beauty of everyday life. This lifestyle encourages individuals to live in a way that aligns with their values and to prioritize what is truly important. Slow living may not be for everyone, but for those who embrace it, it can lead to a happier, more peaceful, and more fulfilling life.

I wrote a post a while back about slow living and what it meant to me here. Today in the midst of the hustle and bustle of daily life I got to thinking about some practical ways of applying the slow living lifestyle with all its benefits to daily mundane life. It becomes even more important now for us as individuals to remember that we can slow down and that it is perfectly okay to do so. This might seem like an impossible task given all that we have to deal with on a daily basis for example caring for our children, and everyday mundane tasks like sorting out laundry, meal prep and various other things, however it can be done and the benefits of slowing down in todays world of hustle culture far out weigh any negatives.

So how do we go about applying the principles of slow living to our already overwhelming daily routines? Here is a small list of ways to apply slow living principles

The first step is to bring awareness to the present moment, becoming mindful of what we are paying attention to right now. There are some ways to go about doing this one of which is meditation. Focusing on a hobby that we enjoy and like is another way to bring our attention into the present as well as doing exercise which is a great way to get the mind to focus on the present.

Taking breaks is an essential step to slowing down, make sure to take time out from busy schedules or routines to rest. It is important that we learn to take breaks and rest fully when we are feeling overwhelmed and stressed, there’s no benefit to be had from feeling guilty for taking time out either. Resting when we feel it is necessary ensures that we can be our best selves when we return to working on our routines in the day.

Practice patience, the art of slowing down requires patience and like a muscle the more we practice patience the easier it will come to us.

Spending time in nature is a great way to be present, it instantly makes us feel calm when we are surrounded and immersed in nature which has a positive impact on our wellbeing.

Enjoy simple pleasures, because happiness isn’t a destination it’s more of a journey. Stopping and appreciating the simple things in life can lift our mood and help us focus on the present moment also. Simple pleasures like enjoying brewing and drinking tea, gardening or even the feeling that you get when you household chores are completed can bring a little bit of comfort and joy into your everyday routine.

Following on from the above about enjoying simple things in the moment, we can learn to practice gratitude on a regular basis. Practicing gratitude gives us a good and positive feeling and also brings our awareness to the present moment being grateful for the things that we already have even though we may want more.

Cut down on to do lists and try to avoid multitasking if possible, I know I know! it goes against everything you’ve probably learnt up till now. The truth is things like multitasking splits your awareness and concentration and what you really want is to be focused on one task and being in the present moment and performing that task well with your undivided attention. It's okay to have to do lists but sometimes these can create a sense of overwhelm and stress so it is best to limit them to only your most important tasks.

These are just some of the ways that you can apply the principles of slow living into your daily life, I hope that this post is helpful in creating a slow living routine for you.

Eme x