When someone first told me that I should “slow down to speed up,” I couldn’t even process what that would mean for me.
There was too much to do and no time to get it all done! If I slowed down, then I would fall behind even further.
What I came to realize though, is that slowing down is what is needed to prepare for what is ahead. Taking the time to reflect, be strategic, plan, create new ideas or processes, and think about how your team is progressing and where you can support them helps you move faster. I know those examples that I listed are harder to do and require more mental effort.
Some people have described the chaos that exists in their companies. I have been there, it is stressful, overwhelming, and difficult to manage. My favorite saying was “I am on a merry-go-round and I can’t get off.” The truth is that I was spinning in my head, not on an actual amusement park ride. There were so many things that all seemed to be a top priority and it felt overwhelming.
Once I learned about slowing down, I realized that I had a choice to change the way that I thought about and dealt with the chaos.
I learned the importance of spending a small amount of time each day (15 or 30 minutes) to simply focus on what was happening and think about what I could do to improve it. Can you see the benefit of taking that small amount of time for you to think? You may come up with a small idea or some action to take if you think about your own situation. When you are in a spin mode in your head, nothing new or creative has the ability to show up. Slowing down gives you the ability to let your brain help you come up with ideas and actions so you can move forward faster!
Wishing everyone the opportunity to slow down this Holiday Season. It will give you a chance to recharge your batteries and be ready for an amazing 2023!