Slow living has become a big trend, blown over from the “slow food” principle. The core of this movement is about consuming less and taking a slower approach to everyday life.
As technology has accelerated, so has the speed of life. Conversations, information and news are moving faster than ever before. People are expected to be connected 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Slow living is about quality over quantity. It's about doing things with full presence, being in the moment. Ultimately, it's about doing everything the best you can, rather than quickly and critically examining what works in your life.
Slow living is about building your life around your priorities, the things that are important to you.
But what exactly is Slow living and how can you best apply this in your life?
The background of slow living
Slow living is an approach to everyday life that goes from what you eat to how you plan your vacation. It is based on the belief that faster is not always better.
Slow living originated from the slow food movement that emphasizes local and traditional dishes over fast food.
In 1986, when a McDonald's wanted to open at the Spanish Steps in Rome, a group of Italian activists demonstrated against the commercialization of the historic site. They created a manifesto a few years later and inspired the slow living moment.
But while it's growing in popularity, slow living is often misunderstood.
Here are five key elements of living slowly.
The meaning of slow living;
Slow living in everyday life
If you've ever worked in the corporate world - or just tried to get friends together for coffee - you know the common chorus, "I'm so busy."
The statement is often spoken with a touch of pride, because in our culture 'being busy' means 'being important'. Slow down is often not desirable in our society.
Slow living isn't about closing - it's about stepping back strategically. Slow living is just about doing things at the right speed. There are times to go fast and be busy, but there are certainly times when it pays to slow down and slow down.
Slow life at work
Slow life is a rejection of that fast life that glorifies a rush.
A full calendar doesn't mean you live a full life. A crazy rush through your travel schedule doesn't mean you're productive.
On the contrary. The constant meetings, buzzing notifications, and coworker chatter that fill so many people's workdays are the worst possible environments for the attention it takes to produce meaningful results.
If you've ever arrived at the office early and produced days of work within hours, you know the power of undisturbed work.
Slow living at work means focusing on the tasks that deliver real results and trying to avoid busy work.
Slow living hobbies
Slow living means defining what really brings you joy.
Living slowly means consciously using your free time. The point is that you go to social events because you really want to and not out of a sense of obligation.
It's about learning to politely say no. And it's about spending your free time doing what you're passionate about.
This requires self-knowledge gained from exploring different interests and finding what really makes you happy.
Most importantly, you have to make sacrifices. Because those joyful activities cannot be packed into an already full calendar. Some things should be cut if you want more time.
Many claim that they “don't have time” and then spend hours in front of the TV or on our smartphones.
Limiting screen time frees up a lot of time for more satisfying and enjoyable activities.
And you'll find these more meaningful hobbies give you more rest than passing out on the couch - even after a tiring day.
The slow reading movement
In contrast to the pressure to gobble up information, the slow reading motion emphasizes a slower pace to bring more nuance, pleasure, and meaning from complex books.
The slow travel movement
With overtourism and the rise of Instagrammable destinations, the slow travel movement is all about downsizing your itinerary and immersing yourself in a location to really get a taste of its culture.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness may seem very fuzzy, but it is actually a proven tool recommended by psychologists to combat depression and anxiety.
Being present in your daily life means learning habits, such as keeping a diary or meditatethat plant you in the present moment. These habits help you escape that endless internal dialogue of worrying about the future or thinking about the past.
How does mindfulness relate to slow living?
Living in a hurry is the opposite of slow - it means rushing through the day without any intention or pleasure. Our daily life then becomes obstacles that we must face before the weekend arrives.
When you are more connected to the present, you are more likely to appreciate life's little joys and gain insight into your problems.
If you are in a rush all day and you barely remember what you ate for lunch, mindfulness will help you enjoy these moments.
Our world of constant information overload, fear of Covid-19 and uncertainty about the future makes mindfulness all the more important now.
Connecting with the community
Slow living means knowing how your lifestyle affects the environment and the global community. This could mean supporting local farmers or connecting with locals for a more authentic travel experience.
Living slowly is an antidote to a lifetime of disconnection from people, devaluing communication to the number of likes on Instagram.
Living slowly means nurturing your local community and spending time in relationships that add value to your life. It is about rediscovering the art of conversation and analog hobbies such as board games or dinners without a telephone.
The point is that you can listen carefully. And about cultivating friendships based on shared values and interests.
If we confuse social media with real communication, we will remain lonely and exhausted. Traveling alone to photograph major tourist attractions is doing the local communities a disservice. And if we consume with little regard for the consequences, we contribute to the exploitation of people, animals and the planet.
Slow living is about appreciating real relationships and knowing that we are all connected.
Dedicated to a purpose
Slow living means focusing on a meaningful life. It means taking the annoying "should" off your agenda to focus on work that drives you forward. And it eliminates pointless tasks to make time for what's important.
But it is also about the goal. Whatever choices we make are intentional. There is no way to follow the crowd or go along with what's trending. Slow living is about knowing your principles and making your decisions based on them.
It means using technology for a specific purpose and not just downloading the latest apps, because you don't want to miss anything.
It means scrapping any tasks that don't lead you to a greater goal. And it means enriching hobbies and free time well spent.
Consume less
Slow living is about anti-consumerism and rejecting the view that material wealth brings happiness. It is renouncing the rat race without a finish line.
A slow life certainly doesn't have to mean minimalism or monkish austerity. It doesn't necessarily mean a Scandi aesthetic and a home full of beige basics.
But the pursuit of status symbols and material possessions is by definition endless - and it will never bring you happiness.
Living slowly means being grateful for what you have and nurturing meaningful work, deep relationships, and enjoyable free time.
It is to be aware that shopping can only be therapeutic for a while and that people who are impressed by status symbols are not worth impressing.
Consuming less means you can invest in more timeless and longer-lasting pieces because you think consciously with every purchase.
It also means you are less likely to be paralyzed by debt and more likely to save. This gives you more freedom in the work you undertake. No overtime is needed to pay off debts.
Instead, your money can be spent on what really matters and experiences rather than expensive gadgets and impulse purchases.
