What it actually looks like to slow down
- Tanna Duarte
- Aug 26, 2024
- 3 min read
Retraining your brain to take in less information.
It’s not groundbreaking information that we all lives busy, chaotic lives. Our modern world is constantly moving at outrageous speeds.
Everything we want can be ordered from a few taps of our finger. Never mind the fact that those things can be here in a matter of moments. We live in a world where amazon, door dash, curbside pickup, and grocery deliver is the standard. Going out for an uninterrupted, sit down meal is no longer commonplace. Our workouts must be fast, intense, and explosive to be worth it. And don’t forget to start your watch, because that same workout doesn’t even count if you don’t log it. Especially if you don’t close your rings because of it! We wonder why so many people have anxiety, chronic illness, and why everyone suddenly needs supplemental minerals just to feel okay.
While I could go on forever about minerals, that’s not what this is about. Our world moves fast. We have SO MUCH stimulus to process each day, so much information to take in. Every wellness influencer is telling you to ‘slow down’ or ‘regulate your nervous system’ through a flashy, stimulating post, but they can’t even explain the first step to doing so. I’m sure everyone who spreads this message has good intentions, but nobody ever explains what it ACTUALLY means to slow down. To be mindful. To be intentional.
See, for the longest time I thought slowing down was just doing less, but then I realized I wasn’t even doing that much to begin with. So why did my brain feel more cluttered now compared to when I was juggling a full time job, college, my relationship (soon to be marriage!), a social life, and my personal wellness?
It all comes down to HOW you move through your daily tasks.
Slowing down may mean that you get fewer tasks accomplished in a day, but that ends up being just fine because you’ll actually have to fuel to do it all over again the next day now (yay!).
It was a sobering moment when I realized I couldn’t go anywhere without my phone, and I couldn’t even touch my phone without opening instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or all 3. While social media isn’t the only blame here, it does play a major factor in how our brains operate. I found myself reaching to answer a simple text message and then 45 minutes later, still doom scrolling on socials. Something had to change. Though I felt like I had slowed down because I off-loaded a few tasks, my productivity and brain fuel didn’t change at all. I still felt just as tired as ever. There was no magical ‘I slowed down and I healed my body moment’.
That was me three months ago, things have changes since then. I realized putting my dang phone down and focusing on ONE task at a time (what) ACTUALLY MADE ME MORE PRODUCTIVE. Not only that, but I felt more energized too — amazing!
Slowing down isn’t about speed at all, it’s about eliminating distractions and reducing stimulus. Slowing down takes discipline. Some days this looks like a literal pep talk of, “okay brain, we are going to focus on this ONE thing right now. Then move on to the next, got it?”. Seems silly, I know. But, it works!
Magically, I regained the energy and productivity I had in college that I had been dreaming of for two. years.
You see, the modern world is changing the way our brains function on a chemical level. We are constantly fed dopamine through the instant gratification our world lets us have, but it isn’t the same soul satisfying dopamine we get from completing a tedious task, or from spending time doing things with our hands.
So, next time someone tells you to slow down, remember that does not mean becoming one with your couch. It means do ONE thing at a time. Making your bed? Cool. Just focus on that. Working out? Leave your phone out of reach. Actually go out for a meal instead of getting one delivered. Fully emerge yourself in conversation with the person in front of you. Do something with your hands besides scroll (!!!!!).
Rest becomes so much sweeter when you’ve worked diligently to surrendered to the hustle and bustle. Take the time to focus on the task at hand. Chase real dopamine over doom scrolling and your nervous system will thank you.
Not sure what real dopamine is to you? Let’s change that! I created a template for a ‘dopamine menu’ to help you identify what truly satisfies your soul. Click the link below to create your own.
Thrive on,
Tanna
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