Slowing Down in a Fast-Paced World

I believe that living at a fast pace goes against human nature. We modern humans are driven by stress and anxiety, rushing from one task to another all day long. By the end of the day, even when we’re completely exhausted, we realize there’s still a mountain of tasks left to do — skyrocketing our stress levels even further.

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But why is our productivity so low despite this chaos and constant hustle? Endless cigarette breaks, long sessions of doomscrolling in the restroom, grabbing our phones at every notification… These have become deeply rooted habits, haven’t they? But why do we do these things? Is it because we’re irresponsible or lazy workers? Perhaps to some extent. But I believe the real reason is that our minds and bodies are trying to escape the high-paced routines that go against their natural rhythms, seeking the calm they desperately need.

Sometimes, we can work at 100% capacity, delivering peak performance. But this is only sustainable for short bursts and in life-or-death situations. Trying to maintain this level of performance daily pushes our minds and bodies to the breaking point, forcing them into involuntary breaks. This, in turn, leads to an inefficient, stressful, and unhappy work life — and inevitably, burnout.

Think of the classic story of the tortoise and the hare. In the workplace, a methodical worker who might appear calm from the outside is far more likely to complete their tasks efficiently than someone working in a chaotic frenzy. Furthermore, our systemized tortoise tends to be less stressed, mentally more at peace, and overall happier than the chaotic hare. (Of course, they might miss out on a few cigarette breaks or social media scrolls, but I hope they’ll manage!)

So, instead of wearing down your mind and body with high-tempo routines or multitasking (by the way, the human brain isn’t built for multitasking — source: Why Multitasking Does More Harm Than Good), try working with focus and a clear plan. You’ll quickly notice how this positively impacts various aspects of your life.

Let me finish with a Zen story that captures the essence of slowing down while staying effective:

A Zen student asked his master:
– “How can I attain enlightenment?”
The master replied:
– “When you eat, just eat; when you walk, just walk.”
The student, puzzled, asked:
– “But I already eat when I eat and walk when I walk; isn’t that enough?”
The master smiled and said:
– “No. When you eat, you think about walking; when you walk, you think about other things. Enlightenment is being mindful of everything you do.”

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