I’m In a Hurry to Get Things Done…
I rush and rush until life’s no fun.
Seriously though; something I’ve found about myself lately is that I’m constantly in this state of near-panic, trying to accomplish my to-do list in some frantic rush of anxiety.
Part of the issue, I believe, is social media. Our brains have been trained to perceive things online as happening quickly (in the span of a 7-10 second video), rather than the actual time it took to do whatever the topic of the video was; finish a painting, bake bread, clean a room, etc.
And so, I find myself rushing through my artwork, cleaning my apartment in a disorganized and rushed fashion, and hesitating to bake bread because it “takes too long.”
But here’s the thing: time. passes. anyway.
It may take 3 hours to proof my bread but… 3 hours will go by anyway. Would I rather have bread in 3 hours or not have it at all?
Changing my mindset from this rushed, hurried state to a more relaxed and calm one will be difficult, but I continue to remind myself that I do have time.
Another way I have been helping myself feel like I have more time is to decrease my social media usage. I mean, it’s BAD some days. Did you know that 5-6 hours a day on your phone accumulates to around 15-20 years of your life? Putting it into that perspective really switched something in me, and I have a deep desire to no longer allow my phone to take so much life away from me.
Instead of rushing through everyday activities, I’m learning to be mindful of them and make them more special. Morning coffee, long showers, and putting music on while cleaning are just a few ways I’ve been helping myself to slow down. I’ve also been making lists of restful/slow activities that I would like to do, things that require time and delayed gratification rather than the high-speed instant gratification and dopamine that our phones provide.
I have a bad habit as well of thinking that things are a “waste” of time… So I would opt to not complete them but then quickly find myself in a doom-scroll. Now what was the waste of time?
Here are some things I’ve written down for myself that may help you too:
Slower mornings. Wake up early enough to make coffee, read, and get ready comfortably. Rushing in the morning creates a frantic energy that likely follows you into your day.
Taking care of yourself is important; no more skipping breakfast or water in the morning. It’s okay to take time to do that.
Find workouts that I enjoy; remember it’s never a waste of time to move your body. Taking care of yourself is productive and important!
Take time out of your day to try new things or work on things you don’t normally. Read, write, pick up a new craft, walk a new route outside, find a new park or hiking trail, watch a new movie. Do something that forces your brain to pay more attention and keeps you more present.
Learn new things! Research something you’re interested in rather than watching mindless videos online. (We recently got paddle boards, so I’ve been learning more about them and learning exercises to help me improve my balance!)
Stop constantly thinking about the future and where you wish you were. Goals are great, but don’t get caught up in some fantasy land that doesn’t exist yet. Be where you are and make it beautiful.
For the rest of this year, let’s make it a goal to slow down, be where we are, and enjoy the little things.
