Relax | HiLife2B

Posts tagged with relax

July 22, 2010

A Test of Controlling Your Emotions

Awhile back I wrote about how to stop being reactive. For this blog post, I’d like to expand on that idea a little bit more.

Emotions are extremely difficult to control. The reason for this is that they’ve been driving our actions since we were born. If we felt like having ice cream, we’d ask for it, or if we were in the mood for a new shirt, we’d go buy it.

If I didn’t feel like writing today, I probably wouldn’t have written this blog post. This alone is more than enough proof.

The way I see it, most of us are slaves to our emotions. Now that’s not a bad thing. By all means, if it feels good to give way to your feelings, feel free to do so. As you can tell, we’ve been doing that for a while.

Unfortunately, we’ve been so accustomed to letting our emotions run free that we forget to place restrictions on them. For instance, sometimes people will intentionally bait you into getting angry just so they can see you lose control. This is similar in the way that we incite others to laughter by doing something comical or telling a funny joke.

Either way, this ends up making us do things we never intended, saying hurtful things we don’t mean or getting riled up over issues that don’t really matter. When that happens, it’s really just an effect of acting on our emotions with abandon for so long.

It is for this reason that a very small number of people can effectively control their emotions. Public speakers and lawyers are just some of those that have to be able to master this technique — the high-stress situations they work under call for it. For regular people like us, however, we don’t have on-the-job training to force us to command our feelings so easily.

But that’s why you have me.

See every opportunity for an outburst as a test

Over time, I’ve come to realize that we have a choice in the way we go about our actions. That’s why these days I view opportunities to lose my temper as tests. When someone tries to bait me into getting a certain response, I just imagine a mental scorecard in my head presenting me with two options, yes or no.

Yes as in “Yes, I’ll lose my temper this time”, or no as in “Not going to overreact this time”.

This is just what I do, but the main thing I want you to take away from this is that we always have a choice in whether to unleash fury on someone else or keep ourselves in check. It just takes practice to be able to do this every situation — no matter how emotionally taxing.

Think happy thoughts (seriously it works)

Though our feelings do have considerable power over us, it’s not impossible to suppress them. Some people may choose to say comforting phrases over and over or some might resort to purchasing a cheap stress ball, but what I find works for me is just thinking happy thoughts.

Are you in a heated argument? Practice the power of conjuring up amusing memories and kiss your temper good-bye. Taking yourself out of a stressful situation and into a calming one does wonders for ones self-control.

Now this technique is also very tricky (like I’ve said, it’s not easy). I recommend just stopping yourself for a minute and looking at the situation from an impartial point of view. Then all that’s left to do is think about how funny it’ll be when you’re 3 days into the future. You’ll have lost interest by then. Funny, right?

Well, when you’re in the moment it won’t always be. Sometimes you’ll just be seething with anger, ready to throw a punch if anyone gets even an inch within pushing your buttons. And yes, it happens. People will push your buttons and expect you to react accordingly.

But that’s the beauty of being human. We don’t have to react the same way to the same situations. Upon repeated exposure, we automatically build up resistance. Once we get used to these situations (in which people keep pushing the same buttons) we end up not caring.

I still recommend mastering the art of self-control. It’s a skill not many can learn — it’s easy to get used to things, but it’s much harder to change yourself.
photo credit: Victor Bezrukov

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June 21, 2010

7 Steps to Getting Rid of Embarrassment Once and For All

“The secret of how to live without resentment or embarrassment in a world in which I was different from everyone else was to be indifferent to that difference.” – Al Capp, great American cartoonist

At some point in our lives, we wind up speaking in front of a large crowd of people, wearing an untied shoe, or walking in the path of a lone tree branch. The opportunity just seems to present itself at the most inopportune times. One mispronunciation, one careless move, or one instance of delayed reaction time and:

STUTTER!

TRIP!

SMACK!

Like magic, the fluidity of our speech turns into choppy babble, the clip-clop of our stride turns into the stamp-stomp of a gorilla trying to regain its balance, and our simple daydream turns into a dizzying mess as we rub our bruised faces. Our confidence transforms into embarrassment.

Ouch.

Yup. I’ve been there and back, my friend. Along with the red face, frenzied eye moments, and loss for words, embarrassment is not a pretty thing to watch, let alone experience. Luckily for me, however, I’ve been in so many embarrassing situations, that I’m practically immune.

So that’s why I say this:

You can end your embarrassment once and for all.

To be blunt, not all of these tips will make you instantly embarrassment-free. Some will provide you with the quick fix you’re looking for, but others will take more practice and implementation in your daily life in order to get it just right. As with every other skill, getting rid of embarrassment requires you to put forth real, conscious effort. Now that my little forewarning is over, don’t worry about it. I’ll try and make these steps as clear and concise as possible:

1. Reflect on your embarrassing moments

Look back on your life and revisit your most embarrassing moments; the best (or worst) ones you can imagine. Remember how each moment made you feel, both before and after it happened. What were you in the process of doing before you were so rudely interrupted?

Then remember what happened the day after your embarrassing moment. Did anybody really remember it? If so, do you still feel hurt by it, or do you not care as much as you thought you did?

2. Come to terms with these moments

Another great way to beat embarrassment is to come to terms with those moments you’ve had in the past. The best way to do this is by sharing them with someone you trust. The blunders that I shared above (stuttering during a speech, tripping on my shoelace, and walking smack dab into a tree branch) are all things that have happened to me in the past. And while I do this in the form of a blog post, you can share your embarrassing stories in your own way. A story, a song, a poem, or another piece of artwork is fine, as long as you let it out.

Remember, life goes on and so should you.

3. In your moment of embarrassment, focus elsewhere

A great technique I’ve found to be useful is to simply concentrate on something else. Just this afternoon, I tripped up the stairs (how convenient for this blog post, right?). Instead of lamenting my little blunder, I gave a little chuckle, looked straight ahead, and kept going. What I focused on in that instant was where I was headed, but there are a near limitless amount of things you can place your focus on. Focusing on your breathing, or remembering a time when somebody else got embarrassed are good ones to use.

4. Embarrass yourself on purpose

This is one of the more advanced techniques I mentioned earlier. To intentionally put yourself in awkward situations requires a great amount of confidence, but is always rewarding once the moment is over. At first, it is a bit daunting (you’re being made a spectacle, I understand), but soon you’ll be well on your way to feeling absolutely confident no matter what embarrassing moment rears it head. Ready the yellow wet floor signs and untie those shoes. You haven’t got a moment to lose.

5. Ignore the moment until it passes

Put your mind at ease. Sure, everyone might be pointing and laughing. Maybe your speech got derailed for a bit. You may possibly be a bit bruised and red in the face. However, the most powerful thing you can do is to just blaze through it. As far as you know, you didn’t mess up. Did you trip and fall? That’s funny. You didn’t feel a thing.

6. Prevent the embarrassment before it happens

As the saying goes, “prevention is better than a cure”. Those words or wisdom still apply, as it is best to be prepared before a moment trips you up like walking across a wet floor with untied shoes. Watch where you’re going. Prepare for your interview. Bring money before you go to the store. Carry an extra shirt when you eat BBQ ribs and hot wings. And don’t forget to tie those laces. An embarrassment-free day is upon us now.

7. Accept yourself, embarrassing moments and all

Maybe you’re like me: just a weird person who can’t help but do potentially embarrassing things. Maybe you like screaming when you’re supposed to be quiet or adore going into a business conference cold turkey with a high probability of blowing it.

Join the club.

There’s something about someone who wants to get rid of embarrassment by trying these techniques. They must want to improve their lives and become more confident. But it’s another matter entirely when someone tries and succeeds in these tips and realizes that we are who we are.

To throw everything out of the window, and to accept yourself as unique and as something special: that is the moment when the embarrassment is truly gone.

photo credit: quinn.anya

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May 9, 2010

How to Take Back Your Summer: Test Your Assumptions

Summer for most college students tends to consist of these four things:

- Traveling to another country

- Taking part in a more-than-likely unpaid internship

- Getting a job (like my roommates are doing)

- Or simply taking it easy at home

I could just as easily do any one of these. But, as per usual, I’m choosing a more interesting route.

Instead of staying at home, writing irregular blog posts, and working for my parents for the next three months like I’ve done every summer, I’m going to strike out on my own. I’ll be away from the lazy day doldrums of the suburbs and will remain in the thick of Chicago.

I’ll still be writing posts, but I’ll also be testing my assumptions:

Can I make money from the blog?

Can I get over 1,000 subscribers before summer’s end?

Can I have interviews with some of the best entrepreneurs on the net?

Can I guest post on Zen Habits?

The time of playing video games and watching TV during the majority of my vacation is long over. Those were the days of my younger years — now is the time to do something amazing.

Summer vacation will be a great time to experiment. A time to go on new adventures and walk down new paths. But what about you? I understand that you may or may not be in college anymore and vacations for you aren’t usually three months long because of your job, but isn’t it about time you just went out and did something about it?

Go on a vacation

I can guess your objections to this already. Maybe they’re pre-laid out excuses like mortgages/bills to pay, kids to take care of, and a job to get paid for.

Dump these as reasons for not living your life during the best season of the year. In reality, there are simple solutions to all of these problems.

You don’t have to travel to an exotic land in another country over the summer. Maybe it’s better to just get out of town and live somewhere new for a while.

Your kids aren’t going starve if you decide to take a break from working. Take them with you.

But really, it seems that the real issue with going on vacations is whether our not you’ll have enough money for it. Don’t worry, I’ve got that avenue covered.

Start preparing by considering these steps:

1. Sell things you don’t want/need

Summer is a great time to clear out all the stuff that you don’t use anymore, but instead of throwing it away, try selling it instead. Have a good, old-fashioned garage sale and watch the money roll in for stuff that you though nobody would even consider paying for.

This year, I’ve sold most of my old college textbooks and even my Ipod Touch that hasn’t been used for over a year.

2. Negotiate summer employment

Tell your boss (or plead with your boss, depending on his/her generosity) that you’d like to take a few hours off from working at the office. You may not be able to be completely free from your job if you really need it, but try and negotiate some sort of deal so you can still have money coming in and have time for other things you enjoy.

More information on how to do this here and here.

Thanks to money I’ve saved up from working for my parents, I will not have to worry much about employment…for now.

3. Start saving money

It’s easier to save up enough money to go on a three-month break than you think. All it takes is for you to consume much less than you normally would and keep an eye out for the best deals so you don’t have to spend so much.

Stop buying in bulk and only buy the amount you need.

Buy sweaters during the summer so you don’t have to pay more for warm clothes during the fall and winter.

See? Simple frugality.

4. Teach yourself something valuable

There are a lot of skill you can learn during your break that can prove to be very valuable. I myself plan on playing around with Photoshop, CSS, and HTML code so I potentially won’t ever have to pay for expensive web design.

Some suggestions:

- learn web design (like me)

- have conversations with random people to improve your social skills

- speak a new language

- practice writing stories to improve your writing

A lot of changes are already underway

After you finish taking these steps into consideration, just get up and go. Stop thinking about the consequences and just do it. This is the mindset I’m taking this summer. Nobody has asked me to do this. No own gave me an incentive to cultivate this lifestyle.

But I do it because I know it’ll make me happier in the end.

It’s the same with you. You can either continue on with the same summer you’ve had year after year, or you can start preparing right now and use your vacation doing something you’ve never dreamed of.

Just try it. The sun will be shining with not a cloud in the sky. What better day is there on which to take a chance?

photo credit: seanmcgrath

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December 14, 2009

Time is An Illusion

This post was inspired by Lance at The Jungle of Life and his Sunday Thought For The Day.

The only thing that really matters is right now. What? Are you waiting for just the right moment? Do you believe it is too late for you?

Give up the “I’m too young” or “I’m too old” excuse. The excuses themselves are getting too old. Face the facts. You were too doubtful, too afraid, too uncertain to take a chance.

Stop thinking about the time wasted or the time yet to be had. Think about NOW. What are you doing now? I mean, right this instant? Still reading? Good. You’re in the now.

Are you completely focused on your actions? Does your mind wander off thinking about the million-and-one things on your to-do list? Yeah, you and everybody else who lives in the day-to-day grind of life.

Got a job interview coming up? Stop freaking out. Job interviews have only been around for forever. You won’t mess up stop searching for the right thing to say. You know the right things already. Treat the interviewer like a normal person. Stop keeping track of how long you talk with him or her.

Sometimes the NOW involves waiting and nothing else. So simply wait.

You don’t need to know somebody for years before you can trust her like a sister. Sometimes you do.

You don’t need to be with someone for years before you can love them. Sometimes you do.

In the future. Someday. When I was in high school. When I was in college. I will…

Don’t let these time-based words restrict your reality. Instead of ‘in the future’ think about yourself ‘in the now’.

When you were in high school/college maybe you were physically fit, but have become less active since then. Or maybe high school/college has negatively affected your life. But what are you doing now to change that?

Forget the words, ‘I will’. How about ‘I am’?

The past, the future; they don’t matter. They can’t determine who you are or what you’ll become. Your future may look shiny, but it could ultimately end up dark and muddled.

You may feel that your dark past will be your ruin, but in reality, the darkness of your past may give birth to the light of your future.

But nothing will change based on feeble perception or static thought. It is only in the NOW that we are able to act.

“Don’t count every hour in the day, make every hour in the day count.” – Unknown

photo credit: Rodrigo Cayo (DREAM)

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December 10, 2009

Plans Made and Truths Learned: A Winter Break Update

As the community here grows, from time to time, I’d like to talk about the boy behind the blog: how I’ve grown, what I’ve learned from others, and what challenges lie ahead.

Note: Winter break starts and school’s out for 3 weeks (Yay!).

What I’ve learned (after almost a year of blogging)

It’s been a bit hectic. Reading other blogs, studying for classes, giving time to my friends, cramming for tests, and getting enough sleep: it’s a lot to fit into one day. I haven’t even mentioned writing on the blog, which can take anywhere from 1 hour to 3, depending on what I have to say.

My project is nowhere near complete. Remember that website I said I would work on? I haven’t even got past the first piece of content, let alone having time to think about what to write. There’s just so many other things to take into consideration.

Kudos to those of you with blogs AND jobs. Congrats to those of you who have full-time jobs and still find time to spent with your loved ones and write on the flip side. I’m a college student, and it seems like I’m always running out of time. There’s always something that I haven’t completed or could stand to work more on.

Blogging is NOT easy. It’s almost been a year (three more months after December) and I’m still surprised at how much thought it takes just to write a 500-700 word post. My mom says “Anyone can write”, but I’m starting to think she’s wrong. Everyone has the ability to write… but not everyone can write well. You can’t just write a book or blog post without any effort and expect praise. It takes real work to invoke emotion in your writing.

Remember the social “surprise” I mentioned? Yeah, it’s kaput. I was planning on doing a 365 day challenge on Flickr and bringing you along for the ride while I take exciting pictures everyday. Unfortunately I left my camera at home when I came back after Thanksgiving so, yeah, it’s no more. (If you don’t remember, fine by me )

It doesn’t matter if I met you online or offline. You’re still a person to me. I’ve met great people who are always more than happy to help. I don’t discriminate (Oh, him? She’s my ONLINE friend. We’re not real friends.) Sure we may not always talk face to face, but the emotional connections are what keep us together.

What I’m doing for the next 3 weeks

Write more posts. This is a no-brainer. More posts, more guest posts, more everything.

Work on the project. I have some really great ideas I’ve been putting on the back-burner. I have no idea if people will like the finished product, but I might as well try. I’ve purchased the website domain name last week, so at least I’ve done that much.

Reflect on my life up until now. Who I was, what has changed, and the obstacles overcome: they are all important to me. I haven’t had any time to truly be introspective.

Play in the snow. I’d like to do this without thinking, “Oh crap, I have a final exam tomorrow!”

That’s all folks!

Leaving for winter break tomorrow afternoon. I can’t wait to be home

“Raise your head and draw up your chest. The future you desire will come.” – Masashi Kishimoto

photo credit: chelseagirl

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November 19, 2009

It’s Almost Thanksgiving: What Are You Thankful For?

Ah, yes, Thanksgiving Day; the event that the media mostly glosses over because it’s not as profitable as Christmas, but is just as important. It’s the day on which we reflect on the past, present, and future to think about what we’re grateful and thankful for.

Do you realize that a week from today, it will be Thanksgiving?

I suppose that it may not be a big deal, but in all honesty, it encompasses the togetherness that I’ve been missing a lot while away at college. I miss being home. I miss just relaxing with my family, pissing my younger sisters off, and playing my Playstation (I’ll always be a kid ).

So instead of badgering you guys with the “morals” of Thanksgiving Day and what it should mean to you, I’d much rather share with you what I find worthy enough to be thankful for.

What I’m thankful for

I’m thankful for my mom who has pushed me farther than anyone else could ever hope to push me. I’m thankful for her patience and the wisdom she has instilled in me.

I’m thankful for the tight-knit community I’ve garnered here on my humble blog. I’m thankful for the friendships I’ve made because of it.

I’m thankful for all of the failures I’ve accrued up to this point. I realize now that if I had never failed, I never would have succeeded.

I’m thankful for the Internet – without which none of this would be possible.

I’m thankful for the friends that encourage me and the friends that laugh at my ambitions. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t been spurred onwards by your encouragement, and hadn’t been stubborn towards your mockery.

I’m thankful for all of the memories I had as a child, both the good times and the bad. When times got hard, I’ve looked to them multiple times and realized things always seemed to work out for me in the end.

I’m thankful for the word “underdog” because that’s who I usually tend to be. Seriously, being underestimated by a lot of people is pretty exhilarating.

Most of all, I’m thankful for the life I have now. I hope to keep on living for many more years to come.

What are you thankful for? Are you grateful for the life you live now? Where will you be on Thanksgiving? Share your story.

photo credit: Ingrid!

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September 7, 2009

The REAL Secret to Being Patient

“Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow – that is patience.” – Unknown

I think I can speak for everyone when I say that patience is a virtue that most of us do NOT have. In general, we expect things to run smoothly, quickly, and on time. And in most cases, things do run smoothly, and go according to plan. However, when the rare occurrence of tardiness does in fact pop up, our normally calm nature turns similar to that of a raging bull.

Don’t believe me, huh?

Do you experience any of these physical and mental reactions when something or someone makes you wait?

Mental anxiety
Irritability
Pacing around
Face begins to turn red
Heavy groaning or sighing
Loud yelling into the air
Irregular, angry remarks

If you answered yes to at least three of these seven choices then (in my opinion) you’re an impatient person. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad thing to admit. And, as is usually the case, admitting a problem is the first step to solving it. I myself was very impatient and have in fact done every one of the choices above (yes, I know, mildly embarrassing). So how did I become more patient?

Well, first I had to understand why I despised waiting so much.

Take a look at the main reason why we really dislike lateness:

We have no control

We are at the mercy of someone else’s tardiness. For example, no matter how many times we specifically told our them to “Be here by 8:00, sharp”, they don’t show up. Or when even more commonly, when we wait for the bus (it’s on a schedule for Pete’s sake) it feels like an eternity before the bus actually arrives. We feel as if it’s our time being wasted not their’s. And there’s nothing we can do about it, but just sit and wait.

Or is there?

There’s only a handful of ways to effectively practice patience. Here are some techniques proven and tested (by me) that I’m sure you’ll find useful:

Channel your impatience into other activities

I’m sure that there are other things for you to do, so you might as well get started. Worry about the task that’s been taken out of your control later. It’s more beneficial for you to be more productive than to remain stewing and inactive.

Stay away from clocks

This one is pure gold. Unless you want a constant reminder of what you’re not doing (i.e. getting on the bus at the scheduled time), please take this technique to heart. Looking at a clock just fuels the flames.

Try breathing deeply

A seemingly simple thing like breathing does wonders for your mind and inner peace. When you’re irritable and angry, your breaths are short and shallow (like a raging bull’s). When you’re at peace or at rest, you breath slowly and deeply. Contort your body to the peaceful state you see fit, and you’re mind will soon follow.

While I’m not the new guru of peace by any means, using these techniques, I’m much more patient than I was before, and I guess I’m happier because of that.

Oh, and here’s the secret this blog post title promised you :

The real secret to playing the waiting game is not to play at all.

What about you? How do you deal with impatience? Any interesting stories you have on being late? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

photo credit: aloshbennett

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August 17, 2009

Do You Recognize the Problem With Instant Gratification?

“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” – Beverly Sills

As an 18 year old kid, I think I speak for everyone in my age group and beyond when I say that when we want things done, we want them done as fast as possible. Why do you think the majority of markets are selling products that are “fast and efficient”? It’s because the “fast product” market is the most profitable market there is.

And “fast and efficient” products get things done now. At the dawn of the internet, I can still remember my old dial-up internet connection. I would’ve killed for the technology we have now at our disposal. With food, I used to make burritos by hand. Now you can just pop a frozen one in the oven and 3-5 minutes later, it’ll be done. However, in a world going seemingly a thousand miles per second, we are conditioning ourselves to be satisfied with instant gratification.

This isn’t a good thing.

We are being misled into thinking that things must happen quickly, that no matter how fast we’re going that we’re going too slow, and that everyone else is getting there much faster than we are.

Those that get lucky and have the chance to get somewhere faster are the exception, not the rule.

Common misconceptions involving instant gratifications include:

Exhibit A: Get rich quick

There’s really no such thing as getting rich quick. Though it depends on what you mean by ‘quick’, you can’t become a millionaire overnight (except if you gamble or win the lottery, but both of those, though possible, are highly improbable). Sometimes while surfing the web, I can see ads for making money on Twitter in just 5 hours of work. While this may work for some of us, it will not work for all of us. Again, it is the exception and not the rule that can get rich in a flash while for the rest of us it will take time to make any actually money.

Exhibit B: The myth of natural talent

A lot of people like the idea of mastering anything they get their hands on in a relatively short time. While this may seem good in the short term view, the reality of the matter of this happens because of luck. Some people can pick up skills in a matter of minutes, while others take longer to get something mastered. If you want to be good at something, don’t expect to be good in just a few sessions of practice. Not all of us can be Mozart (who composed at the age of five and became a musician at age seventeen).

Exhibit C: Relationships can be made faster

We all agree that meeting people online is much simpler and faster on the internet. Without the awkward pauses and the forced “hellos”, the internet is just about the ideal place for the average, everyday awkward socialite. Nonetheless, for everything that is gained, there is a loss. Depending on how much time you spend on the internet (which normally consists of numerous short bursts of checking Facebook, Twitter, and other sites), your relationships will grow at a relatively slow rate compared to offline. In life, friendships don’t seemingly take that long to form, but actually require hours of going out and listening to each other to build a real connection. On the net, that’s time we can’t really afford.

I think you understand the effects of being conditioned to instant gratification. But how do you stop it?

Accept the fact that things take time

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. When you work towards an end (depending on what that end may be), there’s going to be a significant dry period. You may not see any significant results for a while. But as with everything else, patience is a virtue and the situations that require it are all apart of life. While life doesn’t last forever, it’s not like it doesn’t last at all. There is plenty of time to do the things you love. You just have to have the patience to do it.

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photo credit: wilhei55

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July 10, 2009

Summer Update: Discipline Your Mind By Exercising Your Body

“Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it.” -Plato

Most of us tend to read news articles, watch informative videos, and listen to the radio for tips on enhancing the mind. However, we tend to forget that our bodies are just as important as our minds. Conditioning our bodies complements the mind it supports by providing energy, pain, and relaxation.

I don’t mean getting the body you’ve always wanted or fitting into the dress that used to “fit like a glove”. I mean just good old exercise. Play a sport, ride a bike, or even go for a swim. These simple activities alone can teach you:

We learn endurance through pain
Improving our health refreshes our mental spirit
Exercise can be relaxing (afterwards anyway)

What I’m doing to exercise this summer: My aim this summer is to be able to do a hundred pushups in as little as six weeks. It’s called the 100 Pushs Ups program. By the end of this summer, I’ll hopefully achieve my goal.

I can’t be the only one exercising this summer! If you like, share your routines in the comment section.

photo credit: adria.richards

6 comments

July 8, 2009

Eliminate Your “Fast-Food Mindset” By Slowing Down

“Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow – that is patience.”

In this age of high-speed internet, touch-screen cellphones, ATMs, and fast-food, it’s no surprise that our ever-evolving technology has harbored a society in which everything is expected to be done quickly.

If we order food at a restaurant and it’s a bit late, we become annoyed. Even though sit-in restaurants are mostly for enjoying the company of your friends or reading while you wait for your food, people still can’t seem to get over how long it takes to make a quality meal.

People have come to value their time over the quality of their lives. And that’s not a bad thing at all. People should value their time because it’s obviously limited. However, valuing time at the expense of quality can be detrimental to the life you live. This is what I call having the “fast food mindset”: time minus quality = extra time.

What’s the point the of life if you only try to save time for the sake of saving time? It defeats the purpose of lifehacking, productivity, and all the other methods we’ve learned on reclaiming time.

Take a look at these reasons why slowing down your lifestyle and ridding yourself of the “fast-food mindset” could be good for you:

You can perceive the little things

When you speed through life you miss the little things in life. The caress of a light summer breeze, watching a kid try and catch pollen in their hands, the intricate interior design on your car; these things may seem pretty pointless, it’s interesting to witness life as it happens. There’s more to life than just buying things and checking your email. You reside in a living, breathing world. Take a break from the internet for a while and witness life.

Quality becomes just as significant as time

Everyone sets goals like incorporate a habit into your life for 30 days or finish a long list of books before summer ends, but, in reality, the numbers don’t matter that much. Would you rather speed through a book and finish not having learned anything or would it be better to read at your own pace and add a title to your list of favorite books? Some of us are naturally fast readers, but for those of who just want to finish for the sake of completion, take it easy. It is only when you “stop to smell the roses” that you can really the quality of things around you.

You’re more relaxed in what you do with your time

Those who go with the flow of time and use what they have of it wisely instead of trying to just focus on increasing it, are the ones that are the least stressed and the most laid back. I find that the people who seek to save time the most are the ones who are trying to get back time they have already wasted. Unfortunately for them, the best way to reclaim time was to not waste any in the first place. Try to fill everything you do with activities that are valuable to you, not just to your time.

Fast Food Begone.

As the society continues to get more and more advanced over time, let us not take for granted the simplicities of life. Don’t forget that behind all the speed and efficiency of technology is the very purpose for creating all of it in the first place: to have more time for our lives. Don’t save time to save time to save time (insert even more time here!). Rid yourself of the “fast food mindset”: save your life for things that are truly important to you.

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photo credit: ebruli

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