When you hear the term slow living, you most likely think of a cottage in the woods, not a lot of people around, growing your own vegetables and driving at least a few kilometers to get to the nearest mall. Well, at least this is the picture I had in my mind. And this exactly what made me believe for the longest time that slow living isn’t for me someone like me – who lives in a fast-paced, urban city with barely any time access to nature or free time.
But boy, was I wrong. Turns out, slow living has nothing to do with where you live and everything to do with how you live. It is a lifestyle, which is wholly created by the decisions and choices you make everyday. This perspective changed everything for me, and it is what helps me lead a slower, mindful and intentional life every single day despite living in the city.
But first things first, what is slow living?
Slow living is a lifestyle that pushes you to take a more mindful and intentional approach to everyday life. It encourages you to prioritise the little moments and make time and space for things that truly matter to you. In other words, slow living means adopting a more meaningful and conscious lifestyle that’s rooted in making purposeful decisions about where and how you spend your time. When you start living a slow and simple life, you stop living an autopilot and start curating a more conscious life by making space for thing and experiences that bring you joy.
Now that we have that out of the way, here are 7 things I do to live a slow and intentional life in the city…
- Declutter my belongings
My journey to live a slower, minimalist and intentional lifestyle started with a huge KonMarie-esque decluttering of all my belongings a couple of years ago. Purging every single item I owned and getting rid of the excess, helped me realise my priorities, reduce anxiety and develop a better relationship with the space I live in.
Since most of the things I now own are those that I either love or use on a regular basis, I end up spending a lot less time cleaning and tidying up. Which means I have the time and space for things that matter to me, whether that’s reading, painting, going for walks, playing with my dog or cooking a nice meal for myself.
- Make my home a zen space
My home is my space safe. It is where I work, unwind, relax, chill and just be me. And I have realised that having a space that feels warm, cosy and like a reflection of me always helps me slow down and relax at the end of a tiring day. For me, having a zen space means lots of plants, books, fluffy cushions and a cosy throw blanket.
But for you it could like a little reading nook by the window or a cute coffee station in your kitchen. When your space feels like you, you are a lot more likely to be in a better headspace, thereby allowing the opportunity to truly unwind, relax and slow down.
- Make little rituals
Creating rituals around things that you want to do more of in life makes it easier for those things to stick, while also making the whole experience a lot more special. I think it’s also a pretty great way to make the everyday, mundane stuff more fun. Light a candle while you relax and read before bed. Make a cup of coffee and drink it in your favourite mug while journaling in the AM. Put on your favourite music or a podcast and listen to it while you cook.
- Have boundaries with your phone
Phones and social media are major time thieves. You could be checking your phone for just minute, but that minute could be turning into a full hour without you even realising it. Plus, scrolling on social media can cause information overload and make you feel a lot of negative emotions. We don’t want that, right? A great way to avoid this is to have clear boundaries with using your phone.
Some ways I practice this is by keeping my phone out of the bedroom when I sleep (i have invested in a good ol’ alarm clock), switching off my notifications when working, reading or with people, taking an entire day off from my phone every month. Having boundaries with my phone makes sure that I am being more intentional with my time while reducing the amount of information i consume.
- Set aside time to intentionally slow down
Being intentional, showing up and taking small, imperfect actions is the basis of making any change. And while you obviously cannot overhaul your entire lifestyle in one day, you can start with setting aside some time in your day to practice slow living. For me, I like to start my day slower and incorporate mindful practices such as reading, making breakfast, journaling and stretching.
But I know that slower mornings aren’t possible for everyone and that’s ok. Set aside 30 minutes from your day to slow down and build it up from there. Be intentional about how you spend this time and what you do. This could look like reading a book, painting, tidying up before bed, meditating or doing your taking your time to do skincare.
While slow living in a city does require a little bit more effort and intention, it is very much possible. In fact, considering how fast-paced city life usually is, I think consciously adopting a slow and simple life is important for our physical and mental well-being. Adopting a slower pace of life will not mean you have time for things you always said you didn’t. But also so much more peace and mental clarity.