25 Best Tips on How to Slow Down, Enjoy Life and Relax
“Once she stopped rushing through life, she was amazed at how much more life she had time for.”
How to slow down mentally and enjoy life
Are you looking for ways how to slow down, enjoy life and relax? Do you find that you always seem to be chasing your tail with a to-do list that seems as long as War and Peace?
Even though we now live in an age where we have more time-saving devices than ever before, many of us never have enough time and the time that we do have is spent in a whirlwind. The time-saving devices have meant that we take on more and more commitments and, as a result, our lives have become more hectic.
Instead of revelling in having more quality time to enjoy doing what we love, we often find ourselves bemoaning the fact that we don’t have enough time which leaves many of us stressed and unhappy.
“If you’re always racing to the next moment, what happens to the one that you’re in?”
Here’s the thing, it doesn’t have to be this way. We can change the way that we live to have a more fulfilling and rewarding life at a much slower pace. It is generally us who places the pressure upon ourselves to live the life that we are living, and therefore, it is up to us to slow it down.
Now for many people, the thought of slowing life down and finding a more gentle and relaxing pace scares them.
They have been living fast-paced lives for so long, that the thought of anything different is something that they can’t comprehend.
But imagine a life of lazy mornings, an extra cup of coffee, and chatting with your partner before work instead of racing out of the door.
More quality family time, meeting up with friends and starting on those hobbies that you have always wanted to do. If this all seems like a dream guess what…. it isn’t. This could be your reality if you re-evaluate your life and start to slow it down.
“By slowing down at the right moments, people find that they do everything better. They eat better; they make love better; they exercise better; they work better; they live better.”
25 Best tips for slowing life down
If you want to make a change to your life and give yourself a more relaxed pace of living then you have to make a conscious decision to do so. By following these tips you can make a real difference in the pace and the quality of your life;
1. Turn off the technology
Disconnect for some time every day and discover how this makes you feel. Ipads, smartphones, and social media, we are all connected daily to some form of technology that very rarely has us living in the present moment.
Technology can leave us stressed and hurried, racing from one thing to another, most of the time performing tasks we don’t need to do or don’t want to do. Switch off from technology and spend time living in the moment.
2. Set yourself fewer tasks
How many of us set ourselves a ridiculous amount of tasks in a single day, that we then have to race to complete?
As well as contending with the demands of a job, many of us put added stress on ourselves by piling more tasks onto our day. Ask yourself which ones are a priority, which ones can wait, and which ones don’t even need doing.
It is very hard to slow down if you set yourself too many tasks, and if you don’t complete them you can end up berating yourself. Set less, slow down, and have more quality time for yourself.
3. Breathe
Of course, we all breathe, without even thinking about it we do it throughout our lives. When you decide to fully focus on your breathing, amazing things happen to your body. Take some time to sit and do some deep breathing exercises and you will be amazed at not only the level of relaxation you will experience but how your whole life will slow down.
Pausing and taking a deep breath will remove stress and anxiety and will make you feel so much better. It lowers the heart rate, increases energy levels in the body, boosts the immune system, aids sleep, is a natural painkiller, and detoxifies the body.
4. Eat slower
Sitting down and really enjoying a meal should be a pleasurable experience. Learning to eat slower, means not cramming our food down whilst sitting in front of the TV, overeating, and giving ourselves indigestion. It means chewing and really tasting food.
Taking time to cook a meal from scratch, and then enjoying the smells and tastes as you eat it is a wonderful experience. Eating mindfully is the healthiest way to eat. It will stop you from overeating as you will feel fuller and it will mean that you enjoy your food much more.
5. Stop multitasking
We will all have times when we have a few tasks on the go at once and it will be unavoidable. Wherever possible though, try not to multitask and instead put all of your focus on one task at a time.
Often multitasking can lead to mistakes being made which means that jobs have to be redone wasting even more time. It can be more time-consuming than single-tasking and it greatly increases stress levels. Plan your day so that you allow yourself to single task.
6. Live in the moment
Living mindfully is one of the easiest ways to slow your life down. Spend as much time as possible living in the moment, without thinking about all of the tasks that you have to do in the future, deadlines that you have to meet, or places that you have to be.
Living mindfully means not thinking about all of the things that you have to do, instead, focusing on just being present, on what is happening right now, your emotions, your environment, and on the people around you.
For many people, this simple step can be a real game-changer.
7. Get outside in nature
Spending time outside in nature has a huge range of physical and mental benefits. It can relieve feelings of stress and anxiety, lowers blood pressure, and can boost memory and creativity. As well as that it helps you to slow down and relax more.
When you are feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or in need of a break take yourself outside and let nature work her magic.
8. Understand that you have limits
To have a well-balanced life you need to be able to acknowledge that you can't be able to do everything. We all have limitations and the most successful and contented people are the ones who acknowledge theirs and who are willing to designate tasks to others.
Understand your limitations and let someone else pick up the strain you will be glad that you did.
9. Make having fun a part of your everyday life
We all know the saying “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Learn from this saying and start taking some time off to have fun.
Everyone needs to have fun in life not only to prevent you from becoming dull but also to prevent burnout and stress.
Factor in some time every day to do something that lights up your life.
10. Take some time each day for meditation or just quiet reflection
If you get the chance try to take some time and put into practice meditation or quiet reflection. When life seems to be going at 100 miles an hour, it’s always good to put the brakes on and just sit and be still. It will give you time to process what is going on in your life, to check in with yourself and see how you are doing and most importantly, it will allow you to catch your breath and just relax.
11. Study the art of relaxation
There is an art of relaxation called Sophrology. This blend of Eastern Zen and Buddhist practice and Western psychology is all about the art of relaxing with intention and purpose. Try giving this a go if you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed and in need of some purposeful relaxation.
12. Keep yourself organised to avoid feelings of being rushed
The better you are at organising your life, the less stress you are going to suffer from.
We’ve all been there, lost keys in the morning and ended up late for work, thus putting our entire day under undue stress. Getting organised is the key to a harmonious life.
Do as much preparation for work the night before, and keep keys, phones etc in the same place so you can always lay your hands on them.
Have a diary with important dates and reminders so you never miss anything. Simple techniques which will cut down on a mountain of stress in your life.
13. Make physical exercise a priority to de-stress
If you do suffer from stress and find it difficult to switch off then think about incorporating physical exercise into your routine as a great de-stressor.
Exercise will take your mind off whatever you are thinking about, will help you to unwind and will flood your body with feel-good endorphins.
It can also help you sleep and aid your digestive system, an all-around winner.
14. Start your whole day 20 minutes earlier
Read any biography of a successful person and one of the things that they will have in common, is the time that they rise. Most will start their day early to maximise their time and to give them time to relax and time for themselves. This is the case of working smarter, not harder.
Start your day 20 minutes earlier and you will find that you are more relaxed, and productive and have more time for yourself.
15. Keep a to-do list of your major tasks and tick them upon completion
A well-organised to-do list will keep you on top of everything that you need to do and will prevent you from becoming stressed and hassled. There is also the great satisfaction of crossing offer each completed task. Writing down what you need to do will also keep you aware of what is still to be done and will prevent you from forgetting important tasks.
16. Build in some self-care “me time” into everyday
Every day make sure that you factor in some self-care time. It doesn’t have to be something that is going to take half of your day, even twenty minutes can be enough. Just make sure that it is something that is going to relax and refresh you and that you love to do.
17. Treat yourself to a spa day
Whenever you are able try and treat yourself to a spa day. These days can be the most wonderful times for really relaxing and recharging your batteries.
If you don’t get the chance to have a holiday, then a spa day can be just what you need to wind down and enjoy some well-earned relaxation.
18. Learn how to say no to protect yourself
Are you someone who says “yes” to everyone? Do you find it difficult to say “no”? Many people can become really put upon because of their inability to say “no” to people and to put themselves first, make sure this isn’t you.
It can be difficult at times, especially if you don’t want to let people down but you need to be able to protect your well-being by learning the art of saying “no” to people.
19. Declutter surplus objects, people and time-wasting activities from your life
Having a real clear out in your life can be a very cathartic soothing and relaxing experience. Whether it is surplus clutter in your house, activities that you no longer enjoy or people that you don’t resonate with anymore, having a good clearout can make a real difference to you.
We all grow and change as we get older so never be afraid to get rid of what isn’t working for your life. Your time is precious so make it count.
20. Make sure to have enough sleep
Never underestimate the importance of sleep to your health and well-being. Everybody needs good quality sleep, it is vital to our physical and mental well-being. Too little sleep will cause stress and anxiety to set in, as well as cause many harmful physical conditions.
Aim for around 7 hours a night to help you maximise your life.
21. Focus on keeping a perfect work-life balance
If you want a life that is relaxing and enjoyable, then aim for the perfect work/life balance. You need to make sure that all areas of your life are working harmoniously for you to get maximum fulfilment.
Try to spend quality time with your family and friends. There is no doubt that work is important but you need to realise your home life is just as important and too much time spent working can lead to burnout and exhaustion.
22. Carve out time for your family and friends
If you are lucky enough to have great friends and family in your life make sure that you make enough time for them. Life is enriched by the people that you share it with, they can give us so much enjoyment, fun and well-being that you need to make them a priority.
Carve out time for family and friends even if it means cutting back on some work commitments, in the long run, you will be grateful for the time that you spend together.
23. Give yourself regular breaks during a task
If you are faced with a large task to do, make sure that you factor in regular breaks. The mind can only work productively for set periods so you need to stop and take time out otherwise you will be wasting your time.
You will find that you will be much more productive and will get far more achieved through giving yourself breaks than working straight through on a project and you will be far healthier and happier as a consequence.
24. Calm your mind with journaling
If you feel yourself getting stressed or overwhelmed in life then consider taking some time to journal your thoughts and feelings. This is a great way to relax your mind and body and organise your thoughts.
Anyone who feels that they have too many thoughts and can’t productively organise their thinking, could find journaling to be a very useful tool.
25. Use the power of gratitude to appreciate everything in your life
If you want to fully enjoy your life, then take the time out to practice gratitude. By being grateful, you will notice all of the wonderful things that you have in your life. Even if there are areas of your life that you would like to change, spending some time each day to be grateful for all that you have is a great way to bring more into your life and appreciate all that you have.
Slow down and start enjoying your life a bit more, enjoy the simlpe pleasures that life offers and start making your life more meaningful.
Final Thoughts
When looking at how to slow down, enjoy life and relax, you need to really look hard at your present lifestyle. What areas need to be re-evaluated to make changes?
We all understand the benefits both mentally and physically of relaxing more and cutting stress from our life, so make this a priority in your life and discover how much happier and contented you can become by adopting some of the above tips into your daily routine.
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