March 8, 2010

Take a Slow Day

I have had it!  I mean it; I’m done rushing—for today.  I’m taking a slow day and I invite you to join me.  It was Gandhi who wrote “there is more to life than just increasing its speed.” 

I couldn’t agree more, yet day-after-day, we/I get caught up in the hurry, hurry, rush, rush, IM, text, email, eat fast, drive fast, talk fast, “absolutely, positively has to be there yesterday” world we live in!  I get carried along on the speed wave; I’m betting you do too.  And perhaps like me you keep waiting for the world to slow down, for things to change so you can finally take a slow day for yourself.

But in one of those “blinding flash of the obvious” moments this past weekend, I realized that things are never going to slow down.  But I can.  And it’s a moment-by-moment choice. 

I’m convinced there is really one thing and one thing only that drives our need for speed: fear.  It’s the fear that if we’re not posting our latest updates on Facebook or some other social networking site we’ll be forgotten.  It’s the fear that if we don’t check off everything on our “to do” lists we’ll miss some important reward.  It’s the fear that if we’re not cramming more into our lives we’ll wake up someday and realize we didn’t get everything done.  It’s the fear—false evidence appearing real—that something OUT THERE is more important than what’s right here. 

What about the possibility that you may get everything on your "to do" list finished and still forget to have a life!

Here’s the news:  We’ll never get everything done.  There will always be another text to send, another status report, another project to tackle, another sale to make.  But there may not be another sunrise to watch.  There may not be another quiet moment with you and your friend or spouse.  There may not be another precious breath you have the privilege of taking.  So slow down and experience, enjoy and revel in one thing—this  moment.

In one of my favorite scenes from one of my favorite movies, “The Sound of Music” the nuns at the abbey in Vienna thwart the attempt of the Nazi’s to capture the Von Trapp family by moving slowly.  Mother Superior reminds them—even as the Nazi’s are banging on the gates to the abbey—to move slowly.  So they walk slowly, act slowly, talk slowly, unlock the gate slowly—giving the fleeing family time to make their get-away.

That scene reminds me that we suffer from an illusion that speed makes things better, and helps us get more done in less time.  For example, the illusion of multi-tasking is that when we do multiple things we get more done, when in fact, research shows the opposite.  We get less done, and often in the process we compromise the quality of the outcome or the experience. 

Would you like the surgeon operating on you or a loved one to rush through the procedure or multi-task while operating?  When reading to your children or grand-children does speed add to the enjoyment of their experience or yours?  When walking your dogs, is it about the speed or about the walk?  Even exercise experts are now advocating super-slow exercise as one of the best ways to build muscle and burn fat.   

And as drivers, we’re often reminded that speed kills.  I’m more and more convinced that speed kills in other ways too.  Speed kills our ability to savor this moment.  Speed kills our ability to remember the simple joys.  Speed kills our spirits.

So today I’m pulling over and taking the slow lane.  I’m taking a slow day, and it will be interesting to see how well I do at maintaining the pace.  But like Gandhi I’m convinced there is more to life than increasing its speed. 

Have a productively slow week!

Quote of the Week

"For fast-acting relief, try slowing down."

~~Lily Tomlin 

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"Be who you are...do what you can do...choose your greatness over your fear!"
Betty Mahalik, Professional Certified Coach Dynamic Solutions Coaching & Training bettym@dynamic-coaching.com www.dynamic-coaching.com	Dynamic Solutions 5240 Mustang St. Las Vegas, NV 89130 tel: 702 658-4425 fax: 702 658-5802 mobile: 702 443-0175
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