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Take Time to Enjoy Your Life

Written by: Christen Murphy Resmo

Article Overview: You don't have to drive yourself so hard all of the time to get things done. You can slow down and things will still get done, even when there is a lot to accomplish. The perpetual habit of expecting too much and demanding too much from yourself does not necessarily create the results you want in your life more quickly, even if you think it will. This is because eventually you will tire out, have less energy, and therefore lose your effectiveness. You will burn out your stores of physical and mental reserves when you constantly push yourself for immediate results and choose stress, pressure, anxiety or adrenaline as your primary sources of fuel. And the behavior of driving yourself too hard has another downside. It may cause you to enjoy life less as you lose an overall sense of optimism and feeling of well being.

Take Time to Enjoy Your Life

You don't have to drive yourself so hard all of the time to get things done. You can slow down and things will still get done, even when there is a lot to accomplish. The perpetual habit of expecting too much and demanding too much from yourself does not necessarily create the results you want in your life more quickly, even if you think it will. This is because eventually you will tire out, have less energy, and therefore lose your effectiveness. You will burn out your stores of physical and mental reserves when you constantly push yourself for immediate results and choose stress, pressure, anxiety or adrenaline as your primary sources of fuel. And the behavior of driving yourself too hard has another downside. It may cause you to enjoy life less as you lose an overall sense of optimism and feeling of well being.

Slow Down to Speed Up

Punishing yourself with overly demanding work hours without taking breaks, criticizing yourself for not doing enough, or denying yourself by not enjoying the fun and relaxation you deserve won't bring you the growth, peace of mind, or the overall results you are seeking. The harder you push and the more you relentlessly demand perfection, the worse you'll feel. Be more gentle, understanding and nicer to yourself instead. Take time throughout each day to attend to your needs, your health, your relationships and your personal interests. Tending to your life in this way does not waste time. It's not a delay, and there really is nothing better to do.

A Steady Pace Wins the Race

You can get a lot of things accomplished with a slower, steady, balanced and consistent approach to life. You will find yourself doing a better job with the task at hand and having fun with it again. You will accomplish the right things with a relaxed, calm, steady pace. You might even find yourself being more effective and focused because you have slowed down enough to have the time to think, plan, and organize.

A reasonable and sustainable approach to life also brings other rewards. Your life will improve and you will feel better. You will be taking the time to care for yourself and tend to your needs. The magic of life suddenly returns because you have more physical energy throughout the day, more mental agility to be efficient and effective, and more time to build healthy relationships and pursue the things that are fun and interesting to you. It will seems like you are attracting people and opportunities to you (versus you having to chase after them) because you are feeling better and people want to be around you because you have a great life.

Try this for a while. Step off the treadmill. Give yourself permission to slow down for a while even if it feels strange. It only feels strange because you are breaking a pattern or a habit. You are not used to what relaxing or going slower feels like and are just learning to be okay with it. Do the things you need to do, just get them done differently. Take the breaks you deserve, put yourself first versus the tasks and things on your to-do list.
Keep your perspective. Enjoy yourself more.

"Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience." ~ Emerson

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