start here - slow living
Unattainable, Instagrammable… these are some of the words that come to mind when I think about the ‘slow living’ movement. Social media often portrays this lifestyle in a way that feels toxic and out of reach. Images of linen dresses, life in the Scottish Highlands, and foraging for food dominate the narrative of slowing down. But what if there’s more to it than that?
Since having children, I've been overwhelmed by the anxiety that time seemed to be speeding up. Birthdays came around in a flash, and I felt like I was constantly trying to keep up with society's relentless pace. Our days were filled with play dates, weekend plans, and endless activities. The introduction of technology and constant phone use, with doom scrolling making time fly even faster, only added to this sense of urgency.
In 2022, I was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue. I felt drained and, as a creative business owner, I had lost all my creativity. I realized I needed to change. After delving into my health and spending endless hours researching, I found that most of my symptoms were caused by stress—the stress from the overwhelm of modern-day life. Then I wondered, what if I made room to do 'nothing'? That’s when I started to take control of time again.
Something amazing happened when I slowed down and made space to just be... I started to get my creativity back. It became clear which direction I needed to take. Slow living isn't about being lazy and doing everything at a slow pace, or being boring and unsociable. My life feels richer since adopting this way of living. I have time—time to spend on the things and people that really matter to me.
So why don’t you give it a go? Here are 5 things you can do this week to start slow living:
Declutter
Studies indicate that visual clutter can increase cortisol levels, the body's main stress hormone, by up to 20%. Select one room in your house where you spend your downtime, such as the living room, and declutter it. Remove anything that doesn’t serve the purpose of that room. Assess each item, and if it’s not an absolute yes, donate or discard it.
Play
“Mummy, please can you play with me?” “Just a minute.” This is a common exchange between my daughter and me. But let me share something: time seems to slow down when you simply sit and watch your kids play, and it's something you'll never regret. Try to schedule 10-15 minutes a day to sit without any distractions and play with your children. Often, they just want you to watch them.
Simplify your schedule
What's one thing in your week that you really don't enjoy? Whether it's a kids' activity or a moms' group meetup, just for this week, give yourself permission to say no.
Take a break—your kids won't suffer from missing an extracurricular activity, and you won't miss out by skipping a moms' meetup for just this week. I guarantee you'll feel more rested, and so will your kids, by setting boundaries and saying no to the things that no longer serve you.
Slow food
I dedicate one day of the week—usually a Saturday—when my whole family is at home to focus on nourishing food. We start with a hearty breakfast and spend the day pottering in the kitchen, preparing a beautiful feast for our Saturday evening. It has to be one of my favorite days. There is no rush to finish the meal for a particular time, and we break off throughout the day to rest and spend time as a family. We make everything from scratch, light candles, put on relaxing music, and all sit down around the table to enjoy the food we’ve spent the day creating. Why not give it a try? I absolutely love this Greek Blue Zone sharing board by “Food by Maria.”
Switch off your phone
Scrolling through doom before bedtime? I always find my anxiety skyrockets if I spend time on my phone after sunset. Firstly, the blue light wreaks havoc with our hormones, but my brain just can't switch off with the endless scrolling. We're not wired to have endless amounts of information at our fingertips, constantly comparing our lives to everyone else's and keeping up with heartbreaking news worldwide. I don't think we were made to take in such information 24/7. So, just for a week, try switching off your phone at 7 p.m. every evening and see how you feel after a week.
I love this quote from Carl Honore's book, “In Praise of Slow”:
“The slow philosophy can be summed up in a single word: balance. Be fast when it makes sense to be fast, and be slow when slowness is called for. Seek to live at what musicians call the tempo giusto - the right speed.”
Do you feel inspired to slow down and simplify your life but not sure where to start? Join my slowed community of like minded women for weekly inspiration.