When I originally wrote this back in 2017, I was working in corporate and was shocked at how fast-paced things were. I rode a train to work and all I saw was people rushing from Point A to Point B. Why? It made me start to wonder and even to this day, I still wonder why people are rushing so much.

In a big city, like Boston, everyone seems to be on the go, all the time. People work through their lunch breaks and even after the day is technically over, they still don’t stop. Why? I ask myself this all the time. But the funniest thing is, I’m always rushing too. As a business owner, every moment of time is precious and we want to take advantage of it. There are times I’ve worked literally all day and have forgotten to eat. And yes, I still ask myself why. I haven’t found a true answer, but I have come to some conclusions.

If you think like me at all, you realize we only have a finite period of time on this planet. You may have heard the phrase “Once we’re born, we start to die.” That statement applies to what I’m referring to. And while we may not consciously think about this concept, somewhere deep inside, we’re aware of it. But here’s where I start to pick apart this idea that we have to continue rushing due out strict timeline. Why are we spending so much time doing things that don’t make us happy?

Monday through Friday, anyone working in America is on the go. Most of us have an early wake up, then we get to spend 8+ hours working, and then our days don’t stop when we leave. And if you have pets or children, you don’t necessarily get to relax when you walk in the door after work. I can recall my time working for someone and during my day, I was doing work I didn’t love. But I had to work in order to pay the bills. Trust me when I say, there wasn’t much room to do anything I was passionate about. Does this sound familiar?

When rushing becomes our norm, we lose out on a lot of living. Our physical and mental health deteriorates, we feel more stress, and slowly we get down in the dumps. This is why pacing ourselves can be better than rushing. We need to take advantage of the time we have, but we don’t have to harm ourselves doing it. Here are a few tips to help you slow down, use your time wisely, and learn to enjoy the time you have.

1. Find 15 minutes in your work day for YOU. Yes, just 15 minutes. It might seem like a short amount of time, but if you use it right, you’ll feel accomplished. Take this time to sneak away and read your book, journal, make a few phone calls, or just sit quietly in peace.

2. I mentioned this in # 1, but get a journal. Carry around with you if it makes it easily accessible. I use it to write out my deep thoughts, make my list of things I want to talk to my therapist about, or doodle. Whenever I have inspiration, I pull it out and start writing. Journaling can help you de-stress after a crazy day and refocus for the next one.

3. Make an effort to slow down. This is super hard to do, but can be done. I have my ups and downs but have still been able to do it. Every weekend, I look at what’s coming up for the week and make some choices. Sometimes I move things around to make things work and in other cases, I decline invites. And I also plan something just for me. It could be a massage or treat myself to a manicure. Many times I just plan a “Do Nothing Day” and stay in my pajamas all day.

After reading this, do you think these three tips will help you to stop rushing around? Once you start, you’ll form habits and create routine in your life that will help you stick to a lifestyle that works for you.