How to spend your day with purpose

I read a really beautiful essay this week on how to waste your day.

Basically, the essay went throughout this person's day choosing the long, romantic options for each part.

Waking up without an alarm. Making filter drip coffee instead of a capsule. Walking instead of catching the train or bus. Making porridge on the stove instead of instant oats.

Ahhh even reading this slow list is making me calm, imagining doing these things.

Anyway, it made me realise how much I (and maybe you) also feel the need to rush through everything.

We're constantly on a timer, a ticking clock, an alarm system.

When and why did life become let's fit as much as possible in?
Should we take the long route sometimes?

I think many of us are rushing through life. Trying to fit in everything all at once.

100 little videos a day. 8 hours of work that doesn't fulfil us. Two episodes of a show each night. Quick dinner. Capsule coffee.

It's exhausting. And it's normal to be exhausted from this life that is deemed… normal.

So what's the solution?

I think it seems obvious… slow down… but how?

A quick dinner is all that's possible after a long 8 hour day.
There's no time in the morning to make coffee other than the capsule.
The only way to get through the day is by scrolling.

I understand. I've lived it. And even when you work for yourself rushing through the day is normal.

I think what I'll be doing is finding the moments where I can go slow. Moments for myself that don't have a timer.

• A hot bath after work instead of Netflix.
• A walk to a cafe on the weekends to read a book.
• Putting on music to cook and enjoying the process rather than rushing through it. Snacking along the way and preparing with the intention of nourishing myself.
• Choosing a movie with purpose that you've been dying to watch instead of watching whatever Netflix suggests.
• Working your way through a novel for a couple of weeks and sitting with the ideas instead of churning through it just to tick off that you've read it.
• Meeting with a friend that's filled with sunshine for a slow walk on the beach.

Finding any moment you can to slow down in this life and trying your best to absorb what's around you.

Life is meant to be slow. Absorbed. Lived.

So next time you feel like you're falling behind in the race, remember there's actually no fucking race.

With love, Penelope
Co-Founder of Boring Studios, Slowing-down