We live in a contradictory culture, and you probably hear a ton of conflicting advice everyday. “Read more – but make sure it’s educational. But also fun. But not too fun, so it still feels productive. And if you have time to read, doesn’t that mean you’re not working hard enough?” How do you know what’s true? Maybe it’s all true in some ways. What I’ve been realizing more and more lately is that the “shoulds” don’t always serve me. “I should be doing more,” or “I shouldn’t take a break until I’m done,” are mindsets I’m actively unlearning. Mindsets that resonate with you might not resonate with me. That's okay, and completely normal.
On that note, I want to share one of the "shoulds" that does resonate with me and that I think will resonate with a lot of you: we should all slow down. There are levels to this, of course. Slowing down for you might look very different than it does for me. Give yourself permission to do things differently, in a way that honors your energy.
For me, that meant gifting myself with slow mornings. Over the past few months, I've developed a gentle and sustainable routine that’s brought more benefits than I expected. While I do believe that everyone would benefit and could find time in their lives to slow down a little, morning might not be a time that works for you. Maybe you have an idea in mind for your afternoon or evening routines. I personally love mornings so that's why I chose to reclaim my time and energy there. Remember: what resonates with me might not resonate with you. That's okay, and completely normal.
My magical morning routine is actually pretty mundane, but it works for me. Here are the bullet points I try to hit each day:
wash my face
brush my teeth and hair
get dressed
make my bed
make a latte
journal for a few minutes
The journaling is actually the secret ingredient of the routine. I take a moment to check in with myself first: how am I feeling? What's my energy like today? Then I set an intention and give myself an affirmation for the day based on my mood. I also reflect on the previous day by jotting down three things I am grateful for as well as any wins I can come up with (the smaller, the better -- I'm training my brain to recognize and celebrate small wins more).
Here are the benefits I've noticed since slowing down:
A major increase in productivity. It might sound counterintuitive, but I swear it's true. By removing some of the stress and replacing it with things that rejuvenate me, I get more done. Cliches are true for a reason: you can’t pour from an empty cup.
Self-connection. I feel more self-aware and aligned with myself. There are days where I feel less energetic or ambitious, so on those days I don't force myself to do the hard, focused work. On the flip side, some days I wake up raring to go, so I get some extra tasks done. With a never ending to-do list, I treat it like an options menu. My calendar shifts most days, minus the commitments that can't be moved (like client sessions and hard deadlines, for example).
Sense of control. Because I am checking in with my energy and adjusting my schedule each day, I also feel more in control of my choices. A major cause of burnout for me is the feeling of being micromanaged—not just by others, but also by the internal pressure of my own calendar. Maintaining my autonomy helps to prevent burnout. Don't get me wrong, there are things on my calendar that can't be pushed, but to give my best self to those tasks, it's okay to adjust my schedule.
Sense of time. This might sound ironic given our hustle culture, but I've actually started to feel like I have more time in the day. Despite taking my time in the morning and allowing for flexibility in my schedule, I still manage to have time for things that fill my cup, like a walk, catching up with a friend over Zoom, or even cleaning my oven on a Saturday afternoon. At the same time, I’m making more progress toward my goals than ever before. The balance between work, rest, and play has reprogrammed my sense of time so that I no longer feel like there's not enough time in the day.
Increased focus. Hopefully this one seems obvious now, but slowing down has provided me with more focus. By aligning my workload with my energy, it's easy to focus. You know when you're stuck responding to emails, but you'd rather be working on a project you're excited about? You probably take twice as long to get through the emails and then get less done on the project too. When I stopped forcing myself to work against my energy, focus came naturally again.
Establish realistic expectations. As a perfectionist, slowing down has also helped me to establish realistic expectations for myself and others. Nobody needs to get twelve hours of work done in one day. Now I ask myself, what actually needs to happen today, and what do I want to do today? More often than not, I was setting myself up for failure and disappointment by setting the bar impossibly high. My morning check in is the daily reality check that I need.
Gratitude. I've found my own version of "stop and smell the roses," and it's one of the best feelings. My gratitude muscle gets a little bit stronger everyday as I notice the small and natural beauty hidden in my own backyard, like the baby squirrels growing up, the trees blooming, or the robins sneaking cat food from the plate on my porch. There was once a meme floating around that said "what happened to all of the roly polys?! I haven't seen one in years." They're still outside. You're just not slowing down enough to notice them.
Happiness and inner peace. Last, but definitely not least, I'm happier. I feel more inner peace; a sense of calm. My stress and anxiety is way down. I smile more, I spiral less. I notice and celebrate the little wins each day. I’ve learned to fill my cup in the ways I know work for me.
If any of this resonated and you want more control, alignment, and inner peace in your life, here are some questions you can ask yourself today:
What specific situations, tasks, or interactions consistently leave me feeling emotionally or physically drained?
If my energy were a weather pattern today, what would it look like?
What’s one thing you can remove from your schedule that would protect your energy this week?
What small change can you make this week to feel more rested, focused, or balanced?
What’s not working for you, and how can you let go of it?
If you want more personalized support in slowing down and recentering yourself, I’d love to help you get there.
Let’s explore how coaching can help you feel clear, energized, and supported.