What's the Rush?

As I was on my morning commute on the train one day, I noticed that there were two types of people: rushers and relaxers. I watched as the crowd of people exiting the train station diverged into two paths. The relaxers yielded to the rushers scurrying by on the left side of the ascending escalators. Which one are you?

My normal walk could be described as brisk, so I would be considered a rusher. That one morning I questioned why I was always in such a hurry. Being habitually a few minutes late to work and wanting to get my “exercise” of the day by walking up the stairs are the reasons why I power-walk in the morning. But do I really need to rush the rest of the day? Or am I just letting the sea of rushers carry me away?

I decided to start slowing down unless I was genuinely in a hurry. When you walk at a more leisurely pace you are more aware of your surroundings and begin to notice things you probably dashed by without ever truly seeing. Looking past the grit and grime typical of any downtown city, I admired how the same boring building I walk through every day boasted a beautiful glass-paneled ceiling providing an expanse of natural light. I also noticed the people around me (as well as their fashion “do’s” and faux pas).

The Slow Movement

Walking slowly is only one small way we can impede the craziness of modern life. The Slow Movement has been gaining a following in recent years; it is an ideological movement that aims to slow down the pace of life by changing our day-to-day choices. The Slow Movement has since inspired many offshoots such as Slow Food, Slow Design, Slow Shopping—even Slow Sex.

A Norwegian organization called the World Institute of Slowness has set out guidelines as to how to slow down various aspects of your life from work to eating right. Slow Planet, a website formed by Carl Honoré, author of In Praise of Slow and Mr. Berthelsen, founder of the World Institute of Slowness, provides loads of information about the Slow Movement. According to Slow Planet, “slow is not about doing everything at a snail’s pace; it’s about working, playing and living better by doing everything at the right speed.”

The Slow Down

Need to brush up on the various “slow” movements? Here are a few common terms:

Slow Food: a movement that encourages people to obtain food locally from sustainable resources, to cook slowly and perhaps most importantly—eat slowly. Slow Food is “good, clean and fair.” McDonald’s? Definitely not slow food.

My two cents: While I believe that fast food is here to stay, I feel that the Slow Food movement is something to strive for. Spending a few extra minutes a day preparing a meal rather than caving in to fast food is achievable. While not everyone has the means to purchase organic food, making conscientious purchases is a good start.

Slow Design: this encompasses a wide spectrum from architecture and furniture, to garment and textile design. The products of Slow Design are often one-of-a-kind items such as clothing hand-stitched together from discarded clothes, or biodegradable home décor objects that force us to slow down and truly appreciate them. Slow Homes encourages people to not cave in to mass-produced homes that are often built using harmful materials or processes.

My two cents: This movement is geared more to the arts and crafts crowd and probably won’t catch on to the mainstream. People have been making their own wares for eons, but judging by the exclusive nature of Slow Design, these custom-made treasures come with a hefty price tag. A working class family on a budget who is accustomed to shopping at Wal-Mart will not be able to support the Slow Design movement; rather it will be sustained by a much smaller wealthier minority who has the luxuries of making these types of purchases.

Slow Travel: Harkening back to the good old days when airplanes didn’t exist, this movement encourages more leisurely methods of travel such as train, boat, bicycle or even foot. Advocates of Slow Travel believe that an unhurried pace allows travelers to soak in the local scenery and appreciate the ambience more.

My two cents: Rushing from one tourist destination to another is often the call of the day for many a traveler making the nuances of day-to-day local life go by unnoticed. I fully support slowing down on a trip—after all, what is Paris without enjoying a relaxed café latte on a sidewalk café? But how about engaging in Slow Travel once you get to a specific location? Going from North America to Europe on a boat when you only have two weeks of vacation is damn near impossible.

Slow Work: Multi-tasking is the norm in today’s busy workplace. When was the last time you had time to reflect on a work issue without feeling pressured to provide an answer ASAP? The Slow Work movement is all about re-thinking our approach to work. Studies have shown that people are more creative and productive when they are in a relaxed state (i.e. not rushing to meet deadlines). Smart employers are realizing this and providing support for employees to take more breaks, naps, and on-site massages.

My two cents: Ahem!

Five Easy Ways to Incorporate “Slow” in Your Life

1. Wake up 15 minutes earlier. This allows you to get ready for work at a more leisurely pace and grab a bite to eat before you join the rat race.
2. Cook dinner a few times a week. If possible, try to buy local produce and ingredients from a farmer’s market for a fresh, delicious meal. Make extra servings so you can enjoy your slow meal even when you’re on the run.
3. Make time to do nothing. Even if it’s just for 20 minutes a day, make time for yourself to reflect and recharge your batteries. Try having a bath, enjoying a drink at a coffee shop, or listening to music without feeling the need to multi-task.
4. Check your email at scheduled intervals. Unless the request is very urgent, most emails don’t need to be answered immediately. You may find yourself being more productive without the constant interruptions email brings.
5. Plant a seed and watch it grow. The plant will be a reminder that nature cannot be rushed and that all things will unfold in due time.

In Support of Slow

Samuel Smiles, a Scottish author and politician once said, “Progress, of the best kind, is comparatively slow. Great results cannot be achieved at once; and we must be satisfied to advance in life as we walk, step by step.”

Technology has enabled people to do things that were unthinkable even a decade ago. While this newfound freedom has dramatically improved our ability to speed up, communicate and demand services at the click of a button, our lives have become more complicated and we have become restless, impatient beings.

The idea of slowing down may seem counter-intuitive for many as we’ve become so accustomed to moving at warp speed. But as my mom used to say, “There are only 24 hours in a day.” Squeezing as much as possible into one day is not always the wisest choice. I for one am going to make it a goal to incorporate a few aspects of the Slow Movement into my day. Right now, I’m going to take a nap.

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This post is featured on FitBuff.com.