SLOW LIVING - 5 Tips To Help You Slow Down

For those of us lucky enough to be stuck at home during lock-down, one thing we are certainly not short on is time. If you didn’t think time was a social construct before, you should be pretty sure of it now. So why were we going so fast?

We designed our products carefully to force people to slow down and take time out of their day, but for years busy women, particularly in metropolitan areas, would tell us they didn’t have five minutes to wait for the Idan oil to melt. I always used to say: “If you can’t find five minutes in your day, you need those five minutes more than you think. Make them. “

This has sometimes led to some amazing friendships, deep conversations, and even career changes, as so many women that would come to our workshops were in high paid, high-pressure jobs that left them with no time to enjoy the extra income, and no energy to do the things they love, and be with the people that meant most.

That pace was not good for anyone, least of all the planet. It is my hope that we will look at things differently on the other side of this. The lessons we have learned should make us all think about what our true purpose is, what we are contributing on a wider scale.

Because one thing this has shown us is that no day is promised, and no plan is final. People matter most. Productivity can look different. The extra time people with demanding careers have spent working at home should shift the culture of unnecessary travel to and from meetings and offices. We have all seen the beautiful images of the planet healing itself as we move around less.

We need to Buy Less, Buy Well. Make our own. None of us need the number of things we think we do on a day to day basis and luxury is going to be a very different definition moving forward.

Let’s slow down

Five things to do in five minutes whilst you’re waiting for your Idan oil to melt:

 You can melt the oil in the shower or bath with you, but if you just want to warm the oil for some self-massage, place in a bowl of very warm water and;

1. Make your bed. Studies show that this one simple act can have a positive effect on mood and head-space for the day.
2. Make a cup of tea, but very slowly. Enjoy all the tiny things you usually take for granted like the sound of the water boiling and the sight of your favorite mug.
3. Listen to a song that makes you feel amazing/ inspired. Listen again.

4. Journal whatever is in your head, ending with 3 things you are grateful for.

5. Take 10 really deep breaths in and out, and smile even if you don’t feel like it. Studies have shown that the muscles in your face can trick your brain into feeling brighter.