“Slow down and enjoy life. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going too fast – you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.” – Eddie Cantor
It is easy to get caught up in the race against time. We all have to-do lists, whether we write them down or not. The tendency for most of us is to avoid the list, or conquer it all in one burst. Both of these choices lead to some form of burnout. If we avoid our list of activities, we have no inspiring sense of accomplishment. If we do it all, full speed ahead, we miss the enjoyment of the process.
Another way of approaching things is to slow down, and put our full focus on each step along the way. By building in time for reflection, we open up more energy, and see details that we miss when we are rushing along to get things done. Often times, the hurried approach is driven by the fear of failure, or concern about what others will think of us if we do not accomplish all of our goals.
An important thing to consider is the level of enjoyment we get out of our daily lives. This is a valuable piece of our human experience that often falls by the wayside until something happens that reminds us of how precious life really is. The benefit of enjoying our lives, beyond the obvious, is that we actually become more efficient and effective when we are doing what we love, and loving what we do. We listen more, smile more, and connect with the people we are working with in more meaningful ways. All of these things create a more successful and fulfilling life, regardless of what we are doing.
I recently started working with a student who is on the autism spectrum. He is a bright and energetic young man. His imagination is matched only by his smile and enthusiasm. Of course, my desire is to do my best to support him in continuing to be successful in his classroom while maintaining his enthusiasm and creativity. The process of reaching that goal takes time, and it is easy to feel overwhelmed at the prospect of doing all that will need to be done. Thankfully, by slowing down, acknowledging the skills of the whole team, and recognizing the strengths that I bring to the table, I have been able to continually renew my enthusiasm, and our team has been able to create a cohesive plan. We have already seen progress in some of the areas that were challenging for this student in the classroom.
All of this is good news, regardless of the type of personality you have. If you like to move fast, this is an invitation to build in some reflection time, so that you can continue to move fast through life in a sustainable way. If you already take things slow, this is an opportunity for you to reflect on ways that you can cut out any wasted energy, and maybe even find ways that you can joyfully get things done in a more timely manner. Either way, it is good to slow down and breathe.
Take some time to relax and appreciate being alive. Think about the positives happening in your life that you might not have been noticing lately. We tend to get so caught up in problem-solving that we fail to notice how much is going well. By taking some time to slow down and savor the moments of your life, you will find renewed energy and enthusiasm. You will notice yourself smiling more, and the people in your life will surely smile back.
Edward Biagiotti is the Inclusion Specialist for Culver City Unified School District. He is also co-host of the popular radio show, Funniest Thing! with Darrell and Ed, to find out more go to www.DarrellandEd.com.