Here’s an idea: Wake up earlier—not so you can get more done—but so you can move slower throughout your day.
…Move slower from bed to shower; from one exercise to the next; while eating; while driving; while walking; when speaking with people; when arriving back home and reacquainting with family; while cooking dinner; while reading; while writing; while watching the sun go down.
We’ve been brainwashed to believe that rushing is the key to productivity.
…It’s not.
If anything, rushing is the thief of presence. It steals away from us our connection to the present moment and has us constantly refreshing our awareness of what needs to happen next, next, next. So much so that there’s no awareness left for where we are—physically or mentally—throughout the day.
And so our day slips away. Time and again.
…And how much time does rushing ever really save us anyway?
I’ve rushed to work and I’ve casually commuted and the difference—at max—has only ever been 1-3 minutes. I’ve rushed to get tasks done versus got them done with full presence and have often lost more time than gained in silly mistakes and errors. I’ve scarfed down food and I’ve sat and enjoyed a meal—and maybe 15 minutes were accounted for.
…But is time gained from rushing really time gained?
My argument is that what’s “gained” from rushing is lost in presence. And the loss in presence is the far greater loss in comparison. Which is why, for those used to rushing, sprinkling 30-60 additional minutes throughout the day for intentional slowness could result in a pretty significant and noteworthy gain.