What is the philosophy of slow living?

Slow living is a philosophy that promotes slowing down the pace of life.

The main principle of slow living is to stop rushing and chasing productivity, and instead to live slowly, at your own comfortable pace, experiencing each day mindfully and focusing on quality over quantity in every area — from food to work and rest.

This movement evolved from the philosophy of slow food, which emerged in the late 1980s in Italy as a response to the growing popularity of fast food.

Slow living means living well, not fast. This lifestyle includes “slow leisure,” “slow beauty,” “slow art,” and so on.

The key aspect of this concept is not just doing everything more calmly and mindfully, but asking yourself a simple yet important question:

“Why are we in such a hurry?”
“What makes my life worth living?”

Everyone will have their own answer.

How to start applying the concept of slow living:

Slow down your habits
Pay attention to your daily routines: how you make your bed in the morning, how you brew your tea or coffee, how you prepare your breakfast. Slow down, focus on the moment, and enjoy it.

Don’t be afraid of boredom
Listen to yourself in moments of boredom, and don’t rush to fill the time with something out of habit.

It has been proven that doing nothing can sometimes be beneficial.

Zen Buddhist monk and writer Thich Nhat Hanh notes that doing nothing is actually a rather difficult task, considered a deep and intense practice.

Your schedule is in your hands
Take a look at your life schedule.

Choose activities that energize you and give your life meaning.

Your to-do list is in your hands — you set the priorities. You can always adjust it, give something up, or reduce your commitments.
Start by adding just 30 minutes to your daily schedule that you’ll spend solely on yourself and your favorite hobby.