Americans lead busy lives. On top of that, we are constantly hearing how important is it to “hustle,” wake up earlier and earlier and take on as much as humanly possible. The truth is, slowing down is the key to your success. Let’s explore why this is true:
You will Gain Clarity
You can’t see where you’re going if you’re too busy running with your head down. Instead, take a pause. When you stop and look around, you’ll be able to find clarity. During the pauses from your work you can allow yourself to reflect on the work you are doing and ask yourself if it’s what you want to be doing. If the answer is now, you will have clarity on that and can begin to implement changes. Perhaps in this pause, you realize that you actually do love your career. Even better! You’ll have time to think about how you can be even more successful and take that career to the next level. If you never allow yourself time for a pause, none of these important realizations can occur.
Your Listening Skills will Improve
In our normal busy lives, we are usually so busy thinking about the next meeting or the last assignment, that we rarely listen to others when they speak. Slow down and get rid of this common behavior and learn to truly process the ideas and concerns of others. We are listening for what we want to say next rather than listening to hear the person. When you begin to slow down your life, you will notice that your ability to listen improves greatly. Once your listening improves, a myriad of positive changes will occur. More and more people will begin sharing with you because you’ll become known for being a great listener. In addition, you will actually get to know those around you rather than just rushing by them every day. The more you know your coworkers, colleagues and leadership team members, the more you will understand them as people.
You’ll See Things you Would have Previously Missed
When you’re constantly moving at lightning speed through your day, you’re going to miss out on things that are right in front of you. For instance, there may be a very simple and easy solution to a problem right at your fingertips, but you are too busy stressing about it to see it. When you are moving so quickly through life, you tend to react to what comes to you. When you are in a reactive mode, you act without thinking. You will likely make decisions that you haven’t fully thought out. Instead, slow down and take a look. Look for what you may be missing that is right under your nose.
When you slow down in life, several important things will happen. You will gain more clarity, your listening skills will improve and you will see things that you would have previously missed in your busy life.
