The world has changed and how. In the post-pandemic world, a greater emphasis is now being placed on slow, conscious living i.e living simply with purpose.
Slow living as a lifestyle has steadily gained popularity as more and more people are realising the value of life and the time they have. There has been a shift from constantly doing various activities, and achieving goals to living more mindfully and in tune with our deeper desires & values.
Leading a fast-paced life often leaves individuals with little or no time for themselves & their loved ones and is often the most prominent cause of high-stress levels, anxiety, numerous health issues, and overall poor quality of social & emotional life.
Therefore, embracing slow & conscious living has become the need of the hour. The outlook now is towards creating & maintaining a more sustainable way of living that promotes one’s overall well-being.
Slow living is about taking in the experiences that life has to offer us. It is about being mindful of one’s choices in personal & professional life. It is about being intentional with the way we are choosing to engage with our surroundings, our people & ourselves.
Here are some ways in which we can adapt the principles of slow, conscious living to lead an overall fulfilling quality of life:
1. Focus on productivity instead of being busy: Most of us equate the idea of being productive to being busy. Being busy does not mean that we are efficient or even effective. Over time, it just becomes about finishing tasks on our to-do lists and being on autopilot. When we shift our focus to productivity, we can utilise our time effectively & feel good about our accomplishments at the end of the day.
2. Time Management: Managing time can be a big challenge when we are trying to be conscious of our choices & where we would like to invest our energies. Therefore, it is about keeping the overall intention in mind and prioritising well.
3. MaintainingBoundaries: Conscious living is also about maintaining healthy boundaries at work & in personal life. Often, we end up taking on more than what we can handle. We commit to many things that end up becoming a source of stress & anxiety in the end. Therefore, saying no and understanding our priorities is essential to living a mindful & sustainable life.
4. Create a vision for your own life: Just as we set, professional goals & standards that we want to achieve, it is important to create a vision for the kind of life that we want to live. Once we can picture our life, we are better able to live in alignment with our values. Thus, creating a life that feels more aligned & fulfilled.
5. Embracing the idea of holistic well-being: Where we are focussing on all the areas of our lives and ensuring that each day we do something for ourselves in these areas that only make them richer & fuller.
When we are constantly in the mode of doing more & more and it is not tied to our deeper values & needs, our life is filled with constant worry, restlessness, and emptiness that we fail to fathom.
It is only when we slow down & become mindful of where we are & where we would like to be, we could create a life that is filled with peace, contentment, satisfaction & creativity.
The author is a Gold Medalist in MA Counselling Psychology and founder of I’m Powered Center for Counselling & Well-being, Delhi