Live better, not faster! Create a more meaningful lifestyle
What is slow living?
Slow living is part of the wider slow movement which began in the 1980s in Italy. Faced with the opening of a McDonald’s in the heart of Rome, Carlo Petrini and a group of activists formed Slow Food, a movement that defends regional food traditions. The slow food movement now has supporters in over 150 countries and continues to protect gastronomic traditions, promote fair pay for producers, encourage enjoyment of good quality food and engage in activities around sustainability.
Slow living is a mindset whereby you curate a more meaningful and conscious lifestyle that’s in line with what you value most in life.
Is a more conscious ‘slow life’ better for you?
By slowing down and intentionally placing your true values at the heart of your lifestyle, a slow living mindset encourages you to live in self-awareness and make conscious, purposeful decisions for the benefit of your own well-being and that of the planet.
Slow living means living better, not faster. It denies that being busy equates to being successful or important, both at work and in your free time. It disputes the phrase ‘I’m too busy' and recognises that to make more time for what you truly enjoy or for more self-care, sometimes, something else has to give.
It means slowing down to switch off auto-pilot and instead tune into yourself and others. It means living with intent and not striving to keep up with the Joneses, or living up to someone else’s idea of success.
How is this beneficial for your health and why?
When we rush about, we are in the fight-flight mode for prolonged periods of time. Our body is producing large amounts of stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline. While these hormones are essential for survival due to putting our body in a mobilised state, they have negative effects if in excess. Our adrenal glands work on overdrive and prioritise the production of stress hormones over other vital functions. Blood pressure rises, the pulse is high, the heart works harder, and with it all vital organs. The entire system of organs pays the price and we develop chronic diseases. The body burns out quicker when in a mobilised state, which is governed by the sympathetic nervous system.
Slowing down promotes the switch-off of fight-flight by appraising the sympathetic nervous system. Activities such as deep, slow breathing, grounding, and meditation stimulate the counteracting parasympathetic system.
Benefits of slow living
There are many reasons to slow down and embrace a more mindful, considered lifestyle and each benefit is intertwined and linked.
Embracing more time – by cutting out activities that distract you (perhaps social media scrolling) or those that don’t fulfil you, you’ll reclaim time for self-care
Experiencing being more present – slow living means becoming more mindful, managing stress, and celebrating the moment
Building stronger relationships – reducing stress, reclaiming your time, and living mindfully can help improve your quality time with loved ones
Reducing your environmental impact – slow living and living eco-consciously go hand in hand because when you slow down, you become more aware of the negative impact of our speed-driven lifestyle on the planet
Finding fulfilment and purpose – slow living means placing your values at the heart of your lifestyle, finding a better work-life integration, and making time for what’s most important to you, which can lead to a more purpose-led life
Seeking a stronger connection with nature – slowing down can help us reconnect with nature by embracing seasonal living and getting outside more regularly.
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