Slow Living: Not in a Hurry Today
Getting Lost in the Speed 🏎️
Life is much faster now compared to the past. Every day, we are basically running, constantly trying to catch up with something. We eat our breakfast quickly in the mornings, rush to get ready, and hurry through traffic or crowded transport to go to work or school while also trying to plan the day ahead. We always try to be “faster.” But sometimes, this speed starts to wear us out. And maybe it even stops us from truly living life. The day ends, but we go back to bed again without even noticing what we’ve experienced or how we’ve felt. Just to be fast again the next day..
Being fast is often confused with being efficient. But doing something quickly doesn’t always mean we do it well. And then there’s the issue of multi-tasking. If you think you’re doing more by handling several tasks at once, you are very wrong. I don’t want to go deep into this here, but I’ve come across articles saying it has negative effects-especially on stress and focus.
Here’s a short anecdote I really liked about multi-tasking.
A multi-tasking test
"Take a piece of paper and a pen. I’ll wait… Put your watch next to the paper too. Let’s see how good you are at multi-tasking. Now turn the paper horizontally and draw two lines where you can write. What I want you to do is this: write a random number on the first line, and on the line below it, write the first letter of your name. Then again, a random number on the top line, and the second letter of your name below it. Keep going like this: one random number above, and the next letter of your name below. When you finish your full name, check the time and note how long it took. 40 seconds? OK. Now take a new sheet. On the top line, write as many random numbers as the total number of letters in your name and surname. Then on the second line, directly write your full name. No switching lines each time. Just write each row in one go. How long did it take this time? 20 seconds? How much productivity did you lose?"
Note: The above anecdote is from the book “Uykudan Önce Bir Doz” by Daron Yöndem. You can find it at https://leanpub.com/uykudan_once_bir_doz.
🕊️ What Is Conscious Slowing Down?
Recently, I’ve been thinking about the idea of conscious “slowing down” Actually, slowing down doesn’t mean being lazy. To slow down on purpose means paying more attention to what we do, living in the moment, and becoming more aware of our life. It’s a kind of mindfulness. Trying to really see the time we are in. Because at the end of the day, what we remember are not the things that passed quickly, but the moments we stopped, felt, and noticed. Slowness gives us depth. Instead of staying on the surface, we begin to go to the heart of things and emotions.
For example, sometimes you can just drink your coffee. Without checking your phone, replying to messages, or scrolling through reels on Instagram. You can simply enjoy the taste of the coffee. When eating, you can try not to watch the videos you’ve saved “to watch while eating.” It may seem like a small thing, but once you try it, you’ll notice the difference. Because in that moment, you’re fully present. Your mind is only there, only focused on the taste. Being in that moment stops your mind from wandering. These moments are like mental shelters. Small pauses in the rush of life.
There is much more to say about this, but I’ll keep it short. You can search for “Solitude” and “Silence Challenge” (A bit metaphorical, but worth trying.)
All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone.
― Blaise Pascal
Sometimes when I notice I’m going too fast, I pause and ask: “Where am I rushing to right now?” Do I really have to hurry? Most of the time, the answer is NO. There’s actually nothing I urgently need to rush for. And when I realise this, I start to see the beauty around me more clearly. A flower on the street, a tree, maybe a cat 🐈 resting in the shade. A person walking past me, the look on their face, the scent of their perfume... These are details we only notice “when we slow down.” And these small details are actually the simplest yet most powerful things that feed our soul.
🧐 Why Should We Slow Down?
Because our body and mind don’t move at the same speed. 🧠 In a constantly running life, our mind falls behind, and our soul gets tired. ☠️ In this age where we always feel like we’re missing something, what we are really missing most of the time is “our connection with ourselves.” Conscious slowing down is like an invitation to rebuild that connection. It lowers mental noise and helps us hear our inner voice more clearly. The faster we live, the more we disconnect from ourselves. We sometimes go through whole days without even noticing how we feel. But when we slow down, we start to think, feel, and reflect.
From my own experience, I know this: whenever I slow down, I remember that moment more clearly. Some moments stay in my memory just because I slowed down. Because when we’re not in a rush, the mind records more. A street I walked slowly on (Well, maybe there aren’t that many streets in IT Park 😋), a view I stared at absent-mindedly, the coffee I drank ☕, the rain I watched with no hurry.. These are like light but deep touches from life. And after a while, these touches start to grow and take shape inside you. Ideas, inspiration, awareness-they all come to me in these quiet, slow moments. 🌱
🖥️ Technology and Slowing Down
Living in the world of technology makes this idea even harder to apply. Because new things are coming out all the time, and we want to keep up with all of them. There are too many notifications that grab our attention. Everything changes so fast. But even here, we can learn to slow down. We don’t have to follow everything, watch every funny reel, send it to friends, or learn everything at once. Maybe what matters is “digesting” what we learn. Learning more deeply instead of just quickly. Choosing a meaningful path, not just a fast one. A video we watch quickly or a text we read fast usually doesn’t stay in our minds. But everything we learn slowly and properly becomes a part of our character.
Actually, I wrote something on this topic: Less is More: Digital Minimalism
🔍 Slow Living as a Choice
Conscious slowing down is not about stopping time but becoming aware of it. That’s why the “Slow Living” movement has been getting more attention in recent years. We’re paying the price of fast living with our physical and mental health. Slowing down is a kind of resistance. Turning inwards against the pressure of the outside world-going deeper. It’s a choice. Instead of living like everyone else, it means choosing the rhythm that suits you. And this choice brings less stress, more peace, and more meaningful relationships. The calmness that comes with slowness reminds us of a balance that modern life makes us forget.
In conclusion, life is very fast and time really flies. 🦋 But maybe, in this fast world, the best thing we can do is slow down on purpose sometimes. Because our life is actually made of small moments, and we must not miss them. These small moments turn into memories and maybe shape who we are and who we will become. Real connections, real awareness, and real happiness might all be hidden in these moments.
And lastly, maybe we don’t need to travel to Scandinavia for some Hygge. Since we’re talking about slow living anyway… maybe we should give it a try one day too..
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