“Our life is a rat race. The trouble with the rat race is even if you win, you are still a rat”
LIFE IN SLOW LANE: We live longer than ever, but our lives are constantly attached by time poverty. Even retired people claim to be short on time. I´m not sure, but it seems like far more people die of a stressful life-style than the Covid-epidemy. Looks like many are not in time even to reach their own funeral. What´s going on, how can the world be saved from a hectic life and stressful death? This is how to live the slow life – how to slow down.
Slow life, slow holiday and slow tourism is might what you’re looking for. Mix slow tourism with good living, and you will reach a life in balance. Time to slow down, reflecting, time for silence, time for caring and loving and for friendship.
Travel is changing
The definition of time means difference to many people. However, we can agree that slow travel is about to connect with the places we visit. It´s about understanding the history, the culture and be connected with the locals of the destination. In return you will be engaged in authentic experiences.
Life after the covid-pandemi is likely to be different, it´s up to all of us to change it for the better. That includes travel and holiday. Slow life, slow travel and holiday are a stark contrast to the mass tourism who took over the travel industry the last 20 years. The Instagram effect and over-tourism destroyed local communities, along the bragging people counting number of countries they´ve visited. Collecting countries, what a concept of yesterday!
The Institute of Slowness
Geir Bertelsen founded The World Institute of Slowness, a Think Tank in 1999. He is tackling today´s “fire-fighting culture” and mindset that are “long on quantity and short on quality”. The Norwegian demonstrates the best thinking often comes from a walk in the “Slow lane”.
“Slowness is about the forgotten dimension to time. It´s about the here-and-now time that works for you. Slowness is also about balance, if you must hurry, hurry slowly. The fastest way to a good life is to slow down”, Bertelsen says.
Don´t hurry-rules
Take a look at 10 ways to slow down, according to Geir Bertelsen.
#1 Don´t hurry. If you must then hurry slowly.
#2 Don´t multitask. Do one thing and do it well.
#3 Do nothing. Daydream.
#4 Work life balance. Stop looking at emails in the weekend.
#5 Good quality sleep.
#6 Calendar cramming. Nothing wrong with an empty diary,
#7 Disconnect. Take control of your mobile,
#8 Be early. Always 10 minutes early to every meeting,
#9 Slow time. Go for a slow walk, turn off TV and mobile, just sit and think,
#10 Give your time. Give quality time to family and friends.
Time and technology
It´s time to ask; Why has technology made us fast?
“You would think technology made us slower – has given us more time. Time to enjoy life. Hello, think again, it has really made us more busy. We don´t have time to explore the holiday on a far-away island in the sun. The old dream sailing around the Pacific Ocean continue as a dream”, Geir Bertelsen says.
According to Berthelsen it´s lack of basic understanding and what´s important that made us fast. It is about making a best possible life for families, country and ourselves.
The Rat Race
“But it is time to re-invent time! It is not rocket science, it is not hocus pocus. It is not hard to understand. We just need to Slow Down and think hard on what was going wrong. Our life is a rat race. The trouble with the rat race is even if you win, you are still a rat”, Geir Bertelsen declares. It´s still up to each of us to understand what is important in life.
Slow and smart travel
The conscious traveler seeks a place where sustainability, slow travel and comfort are combined. Anyone can travel more slowly.
Rather than struggling to squeeze as many sights or cities as possible into each trip, the slow traveller takes the time to explore each destination carefully and to experience the local culture.
“The magic of slow travel is less on manic sightseeing and more on taking in your surroundings at a relaxed pace. Less stressful for you, more respectful on the locals and easier on your budget”, says Sarah Schlichter at the travel-website Smarter Travel.
I remember when slow pretty much was a bad thing, from delayed trains to slow service. Now slow has become desirable, not to say in fashion. Areas of life which unhurried is a prized quality, from slow education to slow beer and slow aging.
Baking and sauna
Wake up, smell the almonds and orange blossom in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada is perfect. Live the rural life in Alpujarra town is part of slow destinations in the southern Spain.
Faraway north, in a sleepy gastronomic retreat in North Karelia, Finland, a place to work up your appetite. Days was spent gathering ingredients to make rye bread, cardamom buns, cakes and Finnish pastries. You can´t rush to bake a good cake. Your grandmother knew it, so do the Finns. I´m not sure if the great Finnish bake-off still is on offer. However, cycling and nightly saunas are always available all over Finland.
Don´t be late…
Turn off your phone, is one idea to help slow down and create a simpler life. Cross something off your to-do list, turn off the noise, and spend few minutes noticing your breath. Don´t forget to eat slower and drive slower. A journey is always the thing, not the end of the trail. Travel too fast, and you miss all you are traveling for.
Most important: Don’t live life as if you’re afraid of being late to your own funeral.
