Towards a slower life

When you live in megacities and work in a culture of 9-5 desk jobs, it's very hard to find time for yourself. Since being a student, I was way into the hustle culture. I couldn't stop working on my projects, assignments, and such. Life came to a point when it made me feel worthless during my days off. I wonder what I wanted to be distracted from so badly that I kept myself sunken with stress. As a raging workaholic, I even went to work on my projects on weekends. I couldn't catch a break. All-nighters were a regular part of my life.

After graduation, I immediately landed a job, but life seemed to stagnate. Gradually, I found myself burning out due to overwork, lack of recognition, long hours, and low pay. I had no weekends, just a fleeting day off that disappeared as quickly as it arrived. I couldn't enjoy simple pleasures like watching movies, hanging out with friends, or even running errands. Netflix bills were paid in vain. Viewing sunsets seemed like a luxury. It felt like life was passing me by.

“Shouldn't you work harder to climb up the ladder?”

“Don’t you think it’s time for a break?”

With nonstop projects, meetings, and deadlines, I nearly lost the ability to reclaim any free time. I needed a break, to truly rest and reset.

I have had ENOUGH.

“No, I don't want to climb a ladder anymore. I want to lie down on the grass, I want my feet to be washed off by the seawater, I want to breathe. I want to stare at the sky for hours. I never wanted to be a part of a life where the golden hours went by while I was rotting away at my work desk.”

It's not easier said than done. Training the anxious mind of an overachiever is actually very difficult. It doesn't happen overnight, but when it does, oh you'll be so grateful to have embraced a slower life. Slower mornings. A cup of hot tea. A view of nature. Waking up early. Not rushing through the day.

If you need a reminder to lie in the sunshine, this is it. It's okay to take a break.

I started to embrace the idea of slowing down, one small moment at a time. I began to prioritize the simple joys that had long been overshadowed by deadlines and expectations.

Instead of scrolling through my phone during my morning coffee, I took a moment to savor the warmth of the mug in my hands and listen to the world waking up outside my window. The chirping of birds, the rustle of leaves—these were the sounds I had forgotten, drowned out by the incessant hum of my overactive mind.

I rediscovered the beauty of unstructured time. I allowed myself to wander through parks, feeling the grass beneath my feet and the sun on my skin. I realized something.

It is indeed, liberating, to simply exist, to be a part of the world without the pressure to constantly achieve or produce.

With time, I learned to say no.

No to the late-night meetings that blurred the line between work and personal life.

No to projects that drained my energy without offering fulfillment in return.

Each no was a small act of rebellion against the hustle culture that had consumed me for so long.

Through this journey of slowing down, I discovered that life is not a race to be won but a collection of moments to be cherished. I began to understand that my worth is not defined by my productivity but by my ability to connect with myself and the world around me.

So, if you’re feeling lost in the chaos, remember that it’s okay to pause. It’s okay to take that deep breath and exist for a while. Allow yourself the grace to unwind, explore the beauty in the mundane, and find joy in the little things.

Find work that's fulfilling, and that allows you to sleep peacefully at night. That allows you to wake up without nightmares. That allows you time for yourself.

Take it slowly, the breathing, the meditating, the bathing, the listening, the waiting. Stay in the moment, look at the sunset without feeling guilty. Learn to unwind. Learn to rest. Inhale, exhale, and, yes, look at the clouds passing by.

Disclaimer:

1. A comprehensive meta-analysis encompassing over 600,000 individuals revealed that working long hours, generally defined as 55 or more hours per week, was associated with a 1.66 times greater risk of developing depression compared to those adhering to standard working hours (Kivimäki et al., 2015).
2. Research published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (Yukawa et al., 2020) indicated a significant association between chronic overwork and a heightened likelihood of experiencing anxiety disorders, even when accounting for factors such as job strain and social support.
3. Beyond its impact on mental well-being, overwork has been linked to adverse physical health outcomes. A study featured in the American Journal of Epidemiology (Virtanen et al., 2015) found that working 55 or more hours per week was associated with a 35% increased risk of stroke in comparison to those working between 35 and 40 hours per week.

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written by erinys ♠