Adopting slow living routines into your lifestyle doesn’t have to take months or years to accomplish.
It’s a habit you can start developing right now!
Begin your slow living journey by asking yourself, what’s the rush?
This question can apply to almost every aspect of our lives.
Our personal goals.
Our relationships.
Why are we so in a hurry to make it across the finish line?
We’ve got goals and ambitions up the wah-zoo and milestones that we want to hit by a certain age… Meanwhile, the world is forever changing and moving so fast around us we can’t catch up or stay afloat.
Have you ever thought about taking a step back and slowing down to embrace where you are in the here and now?
The latter half of your life may not be as exciting as you hope for it to be, and while we can prepare for the worst, it’s the journey that matters the most.
We place so much emphasis on the beginning and end-of-life experiences and take the middle for granted.
The present and where we are right now is what’s important.
Too often we wake up on auto-pilot, filled with anxiety and either hopeful or fearful of what the day may bring.
We fumble through our daily routines, those of us who even bother to create and follow them.
We watch the clock like its sand through an hourglass and can’t wait until we get over the 12 hour hurdle to do what we actually enjoy.
A dinner date, attending a new fitness class, watching a TV show premiere, sleeping, or picking up their kids from school are all activities many people look forward to after a hard day’s work.
None of which are bad, but if someone only allotted you another 24-hours on planet Earth, what would you do differently?
Would you spend the first 12-hours of your day the same way?
Would you spend your last hours to live watching the time pass you by?
Or would you live every waking hour like it’s your last?
You catch my drift goal-friends, it’s time to slow down!
There’s a much simpler living experience out there just waiting for you to embrace it with open arms.
I remember listening to The Magic Is You podcast, and Michelle expressed she agreed to never live the same year over again.
She explained that one of the unhappiest times in her life was when she worked a job that she hated just to make ends meet while sleeping in a studio apartment under distressed living conditions.
At one point, she accepted poverty and mediocrity to be her plight in life until she realized she had the power to change it.
Listening to her experience was eye-opening for me because it was so relatable.
That was me in my former years.
I checked off all the boxes for school and attained decent paying jobs, which took up all of my time in my twenties.
By the time I looked up, my youth was gone, and that’s when I made the conscious decision to take my life by the reins.
Employers weren’t able to monopolize my schedule without compensation.
I wasn’t afraid to let go of things and people who no longer served me or related to my life’s trajectory.
I lived with intention. If certain activities didn’t bring me joy, I refused to take part.
Judgment and seeking validation from others were no longer factors in my decision-making process.
And last but not least, I set boundaries.
Tons of em’.
No one had access to me 24/7, not even family. Unless it was an emergency, everyone knew when to expect a call or visit from me.
I was no longer the friend to call out of the blue for an impromptu therapy session or one that would accept a last-minute invite.
Time isn’t just money. It’s precious and needs to be used wisely.
Slow living routines are pertinent to leading a purposeful life.
We can’t get a hold of where we’re going or the reason we are here, if we’re zooming through life.
Slow down and embrace small moments. Develop a habit of living everyday like it’s your last and savior each hour.
You can start following simple, slow living routines today!
What are slow mornings?
Slow mornings contribute to positive moods and boost productivity for people who wake up before dawn.
Highly successful people wake up much earlier than the average person, which allows them to get a head start on their day.
Morning routines are a habit many multi-millionaires share in common.
Many of their morning activities comprise waking up before the rest of their households to read, journal, or meditate in quiet spaces.
Following an exercise routine, doing yoga, or eating a light breakfast in silence to reflect or show gratitude are other slow living activities you can incorporate into your slow living routines.
Morning routines require us to slow down intentionally.
Slow mornings don’t involve the incessant resetting of the alarm clock before rolling out of bed, playing on social media, and jumping in the shower.
Rushing through traffic jams or worrying about getting to work on time isn’t what I’d consider a slow morning, either.
Slow mornings will look different for everyone.
You may prefer to sit still for twenty-minutes before rising out of bed or standing on the balcony with a fresh brew to let the sun shine down on your face.
For others, it’s following a skincare routine or writing inside of a prayer journal for half an hour.
Slow mornings come with many perks and benefits, but ultimately help set your day up for success.
What is a slow living afternoon routine?
I’m a firm believer in taking five-minute breaks throughout the day. Whether it’s to workout or to take a breather.
We aren’t supposed to work hours on end or sit idly in one place for a full day’s work, either.
A slow living afternoon routine should include activities that lend themselves to mental and physical ease.
Your work style may dictate your slow living afternoon routine.
If you’re more productive or creative in the morning, then reserve your afternoons for things that require little mental lift (or vice versa).
Take a midday break to recharge your battery. Don’t skip your lunch or shorten the length of any work breaks you’re entitled to.
Intentionally slow down by sticking to a routine that forces you to rest.
Slow living routines don’t include phone usage or surfing the internet. Instead, use this time to center yourself, connect with nature, or to refuel your mind and body.
Prepare a nutritious snack to eat rather than running to the nearest fast-food restaurant and drink tons of water. Your body will reward you in the end.
Get up and move. If you work in an office, work from home, or are a stay at home mom, take the afternoon to get some fresh air.
Go for a walk on a nearby trail with no interference from music, a podcast, or phone conversation. This is an opportunity to be still, embrace nature in all its forms, and to clear your mind.
We’re conditioned to not take breaks or frequent naps in the middle of the day to rest as adults.
We actually need rest breaks more now than ever.
It’s so easy to get consumed with work priorities, the daily news, distracted with social media, and taking in all the external stimuli all while neglecting our mental health and well-being.
Slow living routines combat the auto-pilot syndrome many people struggle with breaking away from.
Grounding is another activity you can include in your slow living afternoon routine. It incorporates becoming one with nature by walking barefoot on Earth and expressing gratitude for the beautiful creations around you.
How many times have you taken time out of your day to appreciate the trees, mountains, water, clear blue skies, or the Sun that provides us with energy, light, and Vitamin D?
Every afternoon, I take long walks with no interruptions to appreciate the life force in everything around me.
Doing this drowns out all the noise and helps me to be present in the moment.
Take some time to figure out what allows you to be ‘still’ in the middle of the day.
Don’t skip your lunch break to get more work done or accept obligations that take up all your time in the afternoon.
Be intentional about the activities you select in your slow living routines.
For some, it’s reading a book for an hour, doing a Sudoku exercise, listening to soothing music, drawing, or coloring to relax your mind.
There’s no right or wrong answer in structuring your slow living afternoon routine.
What is a slow living evening routine?
Your evening doesn’t have to include cramming everything that actually brings you joy into 4-5 hours.
We all need at least a minimum of 8 hours of sleep to recharge for the next day, but most people get only a few hours in, if that.
Is it just me, or does time seem to speed up as soon as the workday ends?
By the time we settle in at home, change into comfortable clothes, and relax for an hour or two, it’s already time for bed.
Why do we allow so many things to prevent us from enjoying our time away from work?
Housework. Homework checks. Dinner prep. Getting clothes out to wear for work…
Amongst many other distractions like TV, talking on the phone, or the infamous mindless TikTok scroll.
Many of these things are simply a waste of time and shouldn’t be a part of your slow living evening routine.
There’s also nothing slow about them.
We should maximize the time we have to spend with family and friends, engage in hobbies, and create experiences that will relax and limit our mental and physical activity.
Your slow living evening routine should wind you down, not wind you up.
It’s time to focus and reconnect with yourself.
Here are a few ways to recenter yourself in the evening:
- Prepare a home cooked meal
- Workout at the gym
- Journal to reflect on your day
- Complete a mindful eating exercise at dinner
- Follow a skincare routine
- Spend time with your partner or family with no distractions
- Read a book or magazine before bed
- Cut your phone off and limit screen time after nine o’clock
Your version of slow living routines will differ from others.
Personalize it to fulfill your needs and desires when slowing down in the evening.
Slowing down for others may comprise going to bed earlier, binge watching a show on Netflix, or cleaning.
Yes, cleaning and decluttering your living spaces at home can be a form of mental relaxation.
I value my slow living evening routine the most, because I have a clear cut off time between work and play.
Setting this boundary has allowed me to center myself in every way. I no longer put work first or allow the problems of others to monopolize my time.
I don’t run errands during the week for this very reason.
I’d rather use my personal time to hang out with family and friends and indulge in activities that genuinely bring me joy.
At this stage of my life, grocery shopping, doing chores, and cooking in the middle of the week aren’t fun things for me, so I dedicate a few hours to complete them over the weekend.
I recently made a goal to read and write more during the month, and I also create weekly goals to meet.
I nourish my mind and body by eating a nutritious meal before 7 o’clock at night, which is followed by various acts of self-care; at home spas with a facial routine, journaling, and reading one fiction and non-fiction book at night.
I’ve made a habit of getting in bed before 10 o’clock and doing a complete re-set on Sundays.
Slow living routines have allowed me not to let time slip away.
I don’t want to look back on my life when I’m older and regret dedicating too much time and energy to fulfilling obligations that don’t contribute to my dreams or include the people who mean most to me in life.
Interested in creating a new system of daily routines? Download a copy of the daily routine printable to help you get started today!
I teach entrepreneurs how to simplify their life and business with less + own their time and maximize productivity towards their personal and monetary goals.
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