Why It's Important to Slow Down
We all want to achieve, succeed, be the first, and accomplish. But, are you burning yourself out trying to get there? Are you moving so fast that you're actually moving backwards instead of forward? Although the things you're exposed to on on a daily basis, like social media, may be pushing you to DO MORE!, HUSTLE!,TRY HARDER!, it's easy to misunderstand hustling for productivity. Working 80 hours a week doesn't necessarily mean that you'll be more successful.
Think about the family time, personal relationships, and vacation days that you are missing out on because you're spending your days, nights, and weekends working. In fact, you may be exhausting yourself and hindering your health rather than working towards a goal.
Working hard involves a mindful mindset. Being mindful of the things you're doing in order to achieve your goal can help you prioritize and have a clear vision of where you are headed. While more personal coaches, certain mentors, and social media influencers are promoting the hustle lifestyle more often, successful leaders and entrepreneurs didn't get to where they are now from one day to the other.
Here are some ways you can slow down in order to execute successfully and live a more fulfilled life:
Seek Clarity
The point of all that hard work you're doing is to strive in the right direction. Too many people find themselves working tirelessly towards the wrong path which won't give them the results they think they're working for. Slow down. Take some time to reflect and find clarity between all that work you're doing. You can't see where you're going if you're constantly running without a vision. Schedule some time everyday to check in with yourself and evaluate the work you've done so far. Figure out what is working for you and what has you in a hamster wheel running in no direction.
Listen to your Body
In order to perform you need a healthy mind, body, and soul. If you're exhausting yourself, chances are your performance is rather poor and your ability to perform at your prime is being masked by exhaustion. If your goal is to succeed then you should be listening to your body and take the time to give it a rest when it's asking for it. There are 24 hours in the day, there should be no excuse as to why you can't take a break from your computer or why you can't go on a quick 15 minute walk around your neighborhood. This goes back to being mindful. Be aware of yourself and how you feel as much as you can.
Evaluate
Behind every idea there's a reason. Think about why you want to work towards that goal in the first place. Is this really your dream? Are you willing to put in the right amount of effort? If you're working tirelessly towards something you're not even sure you want then why do it in the first place? Before you start working yourself up around the clock, think about why you are working so hard and if the end result will be worth the effort.