3 Tips to Slow Down and Stop Rushing

We rush because we fear there is not enough time to do everything.

When we rush, what do we assume about the world around us?  We carry an assumption that now is not enough.  Now is merely a catalyst to where we want to be, so we hurry and push through tasks.  

How do we find refreshment in daily moments rather than rushing through our daily lives? 

Eagerly waiting to cross the road, I was nearly panting before coming to a stop. An 80 year old man next to me asked me in his Italian-English accent, ‘Why are you rushing my dear? You’ve got plenty of life left to live!’ 

In a moment, he encapsulated my fast-paced life. What is the point of rushing?

1. Intentionally slow down your movements. 

Be thoughtful with your decisions to rush.  When you find yourself rushing, ask what is motivating the rushing?  Is there anything you can eliminate from your day so that you are not hurrying all the time?

2. Thoughtfully prepare for the next day   

There are certain times where rushing feels inevitable.  Running out the door to church on Sunday morning to get to church by 9.30am always feel rushed…. unless!    Last week I packed Ezekiel’s bag with toys and nappies and blankets and his monitor the night before.  Breakfast was semi-prepared in the fridge and I chopped up some cucumber to bring to church in a container for Ezekiel’s snack.  

That morning felt a lot more ‘effortless’.  I put in a little bit of effort the night before and the morning felt effortless the day after.  

Have a bag packed for the car.  Lip gloss, hand lotion, hand sanitiser and anything that you might need in your handbag.  Having a ‘second handbag’ in the car has really helped with quick trips in the car to pop out to see a friend or to the grocery store.  I’m eliminating the need to think ‘do I have that with me?!’ before running out the door.

3. Wisely consider your options before you commit and say yes. 

Perhaps you find it easy to say ‘yes’ to events or catching up with friends.  Pause and imagine yourlelf in that scenario.  Would you say yes if you were to do that very thing in a couple hours?  Are you saying yes simply to please someone else or to boost your self-esteem?  

There’s countless ways you can eliminate hurry by preparing in advance to save yourself from the ‘rushing situations’. 

Observe flowers in springtime – they are not in a hurry to grow and become vibrant. They soak in the rain and sun and wind and bloom in their own time. 

“She had passed her whole life as does everyone, rushing and dreaming in blind, deaf refusal of the miracle of each moment.” 

― Umberto Bartolomeo 

What is the point of rushing?  We rush because we think there is not enough time to do everything.  What if rushing was a sign of doing too much?

Let’s eliminate hurry this week and live intentionally.