It's OK To Slow Down Sometimes
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

It's OK To Slow Down Sometimes

Slowing down does not mean giving up, failing, falling behind, or losing; it means learning to prioritize your well-being instead of your schedule.

436
It's OK To Slow Down Sometimes
Tumblr

Practice, homework, studying, meetings, social life, sleep, working out, family time. When I was in high school, this is what my daily life looked like.

We are given 24 hours in a day, and it is up to us how we choose to spend them. Of course, there are some things we need to do, like go to class and sleep, but outside of those hours, we have the freedom to customize our schedule. Some of us may have much more freedom than others, and some of us may only be able to customize an hour of our schedule.

Having a planner stocked full of plans and events and things to do is glorified, and the busy-bee lifestyle is placed on a pedestal. In our culture, being busy has become synonymous with being successful.

News flash: It's OK to slow down.

Don't get me wrong, there is an enthralling rush of adrenaline that accompanies having a busy day, and it can encourage motivation and progress like nothing else can. Having a booked planner every single day may seem like a good thing, but you will eventually crash and burn if you don't take a break. The busier you get, the more likely you are to forget to do certain things, and the more likely you are to neglect certain parts of your life, whether it be your social life, emotional well-being, health, or even your academic life. That doesn't mean that everyone who is busy is doing themselves a disservice, it just means that balance is often overlooked and pushed aside when it should be prioritized.

It may feel like you are falling behind and setting yourself up for failure if you slow down, but trust me, you will thank yourself later if you stay home on a Friday night or get an extra hour of sleep instead of getting coffee with your friends. It is so important to take care of ourselves and listen to our mind and body, especially when it comes to the burdens of over-scheduling or feeling like there are not enough hours in the day. When you are trying to please everyone around you, remember that you have to please yourself, too.

If you analyze what is consuming your schedule and reprioritize how you spend your time, you may find that slowing down helps you so much more than staying busy ever did. If you are always thinking about what you have to do next, you are forgoing fulfilling the potential you had for the moment you are currently in. If we get too busy and forget to slow down, we tend to get less out of the many tasks we are trying to complete.

Slowing down does not mean giving up, failing, falling behind, or losing; it means learning to prioritize your well-being instead of your schedule.

Grab a cup of coffee, forget about everything you have to do, do something you love, and remember to slow down every once in a while.

"Once she stopped rushing through life, she was amazed how much more life she had time for." -unknown
Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

53448
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

34353
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

956878
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

181629
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments