SLOW EXERCISE
Believe it or not exercising slowly can make you feel more energised than going for the burn with a high-impact workout. Moving slowly and breathing deeply increases oxygen levels in the body, which boosts energy levels and lowers stress hormones.
■ Try: Walking nowhere
Going out for a walk and soaking up the great outdoors is one of the best ways to appreciate living slowly. But forget dashing around from place to place. Walking in your own time and with no particular purpose is the aim.
Whether you amble through the side streets of your local town or take a wander around a leafy park, make sure you stop every so often to enjoy the view.
SLOW FAMILY
Weekends and evenings can zip past in a blur so it can be hard to find time for slow moments with family and friends. To combat this, put aside specific times for slow activities that everyone will enjoy. ■ Try: Book club Not everyone likes to read but listening to someone reading aloud can be enjoyed by all ages.
Not only will it encourage imaginative thinking, it’s a great way to get the whole family talking. Begin with classics and make them age-appropriate.
The Harry Potter series by JK Rowling is great for children, while adults may enjoy modern-day classics such as The Book Of Dust by Philip Pullman or When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi.
This can be the trickiest part of your life to slow down. After all, how can you apply slow principles to working when office life is often about getting as much done in as little time as possible? The key is to stop doing so many things at once.
■ Try: Single-tasking Multi-tasking is often held up as essential for productivity. This means being constantly busy and juggling jobs is the norm. However, the truth is our brains work best when we focus on one task at a time.
Multi-tasking increases levels of stress hormones as you try to keep track of everything you’re doing. Instead, complete one task at a time to the best of your ability. Your mind – and your boss – will thank you.
■ Extracted by MERNIE GILMORE from Slow: Finding Peace and Purpose In A Hectic World by Jo Peters (Summersdale, £12.99).
Multi-tasking is held up as essential for productivity, however it increases levels of stress hormones