How to embrace slow living and what it means

Slow living can mean many different things. It refers to your state of mind, the pace at which you work, and the possessions you own.

It means being intentional about how you spend your time. Rather than letting life happen to you, you design your life in a way that feels good.

Slow living at work

Generally, slow living means going against the grain of a culture that says you need to keep pushing harder to reach your goals. It can apply to your business as an antidote to the “bro-marketing” culture.

Many women entrepreneurs are creating alternatives to this model which requires you to be everywhere at once, working all hours, and emphasizing the scarcity mindset.

Instead, you organize your day around the ebbs and flows of your energy. Rather than work through lunch hour, you take an hour or more to nourish yourself with healthy food and a walk in nature.

Slow living means enjoying the moments of each day instead of putting off relaxation and self care for weekends, vacations, or even retirement.

Slow living means enjoying the moments of each day instead of putting off relaxation and self care for weekends, vacations, or even retirement. Click To Tweet

It is not about productivity, although you might find productivity increases when you adopt slow living habits. When you’re working with rather than against yourself, you’ll be surprised at how much you can achieve.

Slow living and spirituality

Slow living is about spirituality. Spending time with God in prayer or meditation. Journaling before you start the day. Stretching your limbs after a good night’s rest.

It means staying tuned into your body’s rhythms and your heart’s desires. Checking in with yourself and your intuition rather than ignoring your needs and punishing yourself.

Slow living is authentic. It pays attention to who you are rather than who you want to be. This self-acceptance means you no longer require busyness as a distraction or a measure of your self-worth.

Consumer habits

Slow living influences our purchasing decisions. It means investing in ethical rather than fast fashion. Spending more money on fewer pieces so their makers don’t suffer. It’s the knowledge that we’re all connected and our actions have consequences.

The same goes for your home and food choices. You don’t need to live in a log cabin by the woods, but you consume with intention, not unconsciously. You might buy organic or locally grown produce and cut down on plastic.

As it’s name suggests, slow living takes more time. There’s no rush to get from Point A to B but a savoring of the journey and the connections made.

It’s about taking joy and pleasure in these everyday occurrences and having them mean something. Instead of getting things like the weekly grocery trip over with, we treat them with care and attention.

Best of all, slow living means filling our bodies with feel good hormones like serotonin and oxytocin. While at the same time ridding ourselves of stress-inducing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.

As a result, we feel better and our health improves. We prevent sickness and disease which come when we fail to take care of ourselves through healthy eating, sufficient rest, and recovery.