When life hits us with work, school, and last-minute shenanigans, it can be hard to remember to take a pause and breathe. While living a fast-paced lifestyle can increase productivity, you can be just as productive in a slower pace, especially if you plan accordingly to your schedule!
Planning Ahead
In school especially, one discussion post turns into three assignments and a group project by Thursday. It’s easy to get caught up with what’s happening around you socially as well as academically. To promote maximum productivity while still giving downtime, look ahead of your future assignments.
Whether you use an online or physical calendar, mapping out what is coming up allows you to visualize what your next couple of weeks look like. This way, you can stay on top of what has your attention in the present and still start projects due in the future.
Scheduling Your Days
While looking at what’s due in the future, also try to schedule your days for what needs to get done and what you have time to work on. Set a time to wake up, complete assignments, and fulfill other activities you may have during the day. Scheduling specific times for specific things, such as planning to have lunch at 12 p.m., work from 1-3 p.m., and go to class at 3:30 p.m. let’s you see what gaps you have in the day to break and relax, whether it’s going to the gym or mindlessly doom scroll.
Why Living a Fast-Paced Lifestyle Can Be Harmful
The world around us is constantly moving and changing quickly, but that doesn’t essentially mean you need to do the same. Living your day by day with a packed schedule can quickly lead to feeling burnt out because you aren’t allowing yourself a window of free time.
Of course there will be extra busy days where maybe that window is only an hour of free time, but any break length is better than none. Working back to back to back to back can become extra stressful as well, leading to rushed work just to get things done. Giving yourself the time you need to relax will help you perform better and ultimately feel better.
Accidentally Skipping Meals
When you’re constantly on the go and moving, you may forget to eat. Nonstop working can distract you from the signals your body is sending, making it easy to push meals aside without even realizing it. What starts as “I’ll eat later” can quickly turn into skipping meals altogether.
Skipping meals can leave you feeling low on energy and unfocused, and can even add or make you feel more stressed. Our bodies run on fuel to function properly, especially when we’re balancing so many responsibilities at once. Without food, our productivity can actually decrease, making it harder to complete the tasks we were rushing to finish in the first place.
Incorporating time to eat, even if it’s a quick bite, is a crucial part of slowing down. Planning meals or setting reminders can help ensure that we’re taking proper care of ourselves throughout the day. Giving your body the nourishment it needs supports our physical health and helps us stay mentally present in our daily routines.
Impact on Mental Health
Living in a constant state of “go, go, go!” doesn’t just affect our physical habits, but it can also take a toll on our mental health. When your mind is always focused on what’s to be finished next, it doesn’t get the time it needs to fully rest, which could be the root of why small things make you feel irritated and why you start to feel yourself lose motivation.
When you don’t give yourself breaks, the easiest tasks can even start to feel overwhelming. You might find that you’re struggling to focus and feeling mentally drained when it’s only the middle of the day. Slowing down gives your mind a moment to reset, ultimately making it easier to think more clearly and complete your tasks in a better mindset.
How to Slow Down
Slowing down doesn’t mean changing your lifestyle or schedule overnight. It can be something as simple as making small adjustments throughout your days. Even just taking a few minutes in between tasks to step away from your phone and step outside for some fresh air or sitting quietly without any distractions, can make a significant difference.
Along with taking breaks throughout the day, try to be more intentional with your time. Rather than multitasking everything at once, focus on just one thing at a time so you can give it your full attention. Setting personal boundaries can help you relax, too, by limiting how late you work or making sure you have a set time in the morning or at night for yourself.
Incorporating these small habits and making minor changes to your routine can make slowing down a realistic lifestyle. This will make everything seem less overwhelming and more manageable, also giving you enough time to take care of yourself.
What's Your Reaction?
