Slow down to be productive

Have you ever reached the point where, despite feeling like going for a walk (or any other banal activity), you do not do it because you think it will be a waste of time? I certainly have been there.

We live in a society that encourages a culture of haste. We must do everything hastily to feel part of it. The corporate culture (“I wanted it done yesterday”) and advertising claims (“lose 10 kilos in 15 days”, “how to get rich from home in three months”) contribute a lot in this regard.

One thing that still surprises me when I go to Madrid, is watching people running up and down the escalators in the Metro to take the train… even knowing that another train is going to pass again in just another 2 or 3 minutes.

But doing things in a hurry is a source of uncountable errors, and an unhealthy habit as well. When you give your brain the order to do everything faster and at the same time, you cause a great deal of stress and your level of attention and responsiveness are greatly reduced. This way it is more difficult to be efficient and easier to suffer a heart attack.

Rarely you will have enough time and energy to do what you want to do. Continuously, you should let things go, relax and re-focus. Again and again. Take a break from time to time and do not be misled by the little battles, because the game is productivity is played in a higher level.

In sports, rest periods between training sessions are almost as important as the training itself. It is when the recovery, adaptation and muscle growth occurs. You have to stop to come back stronger.

Similarly, when you feel your life has becoming a continuous back and forth, you need to stop and reflect to return at a new rhythm, more focused. And surely, when you are least willing to slow down is when you need it most.

Take a look at this article where you can see 10 reasons to slow down