The pandemic and the accompanying lockdown has indisputably created a major shift in our lives. In the beginning, many of us wondered when we could go “back to normal” — but we soon experienced the benefits of a slower pace of life, and many of us started to wonder, “do we really want to go back to the old ‘normal’?”
In a culture where busy-ness was valued, sleep deprivation was a growing epidemic, and a jam-packed schedule somehow confirmed our worthiness, we barely had time to question the strange values that had crept into our modern society, and which depleted us on a regular basis. The slowness of the pandemic has offered us an alternative option to consider, and a new set of values that might allow us to become healthier and create a more sustainable way of life for everyone.
Even as we struggled with the sudden changes and the collective anxiety at the onset of the pandemic, it eventually became apparent that that this societal shift offered us the benefits of a more spacious schedule, less time driving, and more time for sleep, home cooking, and self-reflection. As things slowly open up again, and we hunger to reconnect with friends and family, how can we retain these benefits and maintain a slower pace of life?
Researchers Giana M Eckhardt and Katharina C. Husemann have identified three strategies to embrace this decelerated way of life as we move forward.
Slowing down your body
During the pandemic, we have stopped driving/travelling as much as before and we are walking and biking in place of other speedier methods of transportation. This slower reboot of modern transportation is not only good for our bodies, but also for our minds. Our bodies were our original means of transportation and these slower methods allow us to strengthen the body-mind connection and create more space for reflection.
Rethinking how we use technology
In the isolation of lockdown, we have been using technology to connect face-to-face, through apps like Zoom and Facetime, to engage in more meaningful interactions than the shorter more superficial connections we make using social media and text. Many of us are also setting aside technology to spend more time cooking, baking, playing games, and doing other analogue activities with our free time. Others have turned to mindfulness apps to find peace from anxiety, and settle into acceptance with this new way of life. Using technology mindfully is a practice that we all can benefit from.
Limiting activities
Before the pandemic, we often crammed as many activities into one day as possible, and ended up feeling exhausted — but stay-at-home orders left us with few activities outside the home to engage in. Outside of work (if we were working), our main decisions and commitments revolved around meals, hobbies that could be enjoyed at home, and shopping for the essentials. It became clear to us what was essential and what we could live without. If we don’t rush to fill our schedules again, these activities can continue to be savored and enjoyed at a slow pace.
And… routines and rhythm
Another component that we’d like to add to Eckhardt and Husemann’s three tenets of sustaining (and savoring) slowness is routine and rhythm. Many of us created new routines around exercising at home, cooking more meals, spending time outdoors, meditation, journaling and decluttering, to name a few. These rhythms are restorative to the nervous system and keep us grounded and connected to mind, body and spirit. These should not read as a strict, daily “to do” list, but more as a nudge towards balance and consistency.
As our new normal continues to shift and evolve, take the time to consider how your daily life has benefited from the slower pace of life that we’ve experienced. What have you learned to live without? What new routines have you embraced? How can you sustain the slowness of life as an alternative to our former daily race, to stay nourished and balanced during this time of incredible upheaval and transition?
If you would like support in any of these efforts, Boba is here to help. Your wellness is a priority – especially in these challenging times.