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“Do more”, “do it faster”, “I’m afraid to be late”… Speed suddenly became a measure of quality and success. But few people think that the installation, which makes you constantly rush, has a shadow side. Together with psychotherapist Alexei Stepanov, we figure out why a frantic pace spoils our lives and how to learn how to slow down time.
The development of communications, new types of technology, the Internet … Jules Verne would envy our reality, which did not fall into his visionary novels. We do not notice how everything is measured by time: in how many seconds the car will accelerate to 100 km / h or what is the speed of the processor of a new gadget.
“The theme of competition is inherent in human nature. Perhaps this is the basic popular mindset of being faster, taller, stronger and ahead of everyone else. European culture is narcissistic, it is achievement-oriented, so speed and pace are necessary factors in it,” says existential psychotherapist Alexei Stepanov.
Many are irritated by those who hesitate — a gaping driver at a traffic light or a subway passenger slowing down in front of an escalator. We always lack speed, and we use stimulants. Ten years ago, seeing a person with a cup of coffee on the street was a rarity. Now coffee is sold on every corner.
The pace, processes of excitation, inhibition, signal transmission are different for different people. And it’s genetically determined.
Making decisions that cost money depends on who gets the information and closes the deal faster. Perhaps a person should evolve following the dictates of civilization, adjust to the new pace and come to terms with the fact that acceleration is inevitable? No, says the expert. Rampant speed has a downside and negative consequences.
Rush causes additional stress
“When it comes to human nature, one should not forget about such a category as temperament — we mean the features of the dynamics of the activity of the nervous system. The pace, processes of excitation, inhibition, signal transmission are different for different people. And this is genetically determined,” says Alexei Stepanov. For “fast” people, sanguine and choleric, a high pace will not hurt, but for “slow”, melancholic and phlegmatic people, it will become additional stress, and they will suffer.
Multitasking leads to procrastination
There are people who are good at doing a dozen tasks at the same time. And there are those for whom it is a powerful stress factor that affects health. The barrage of urgent decisions leaves them in a daze. Even if for some time they will, overcoming themselves and their natural pace, tear their shirts on themselves, they will quickly run out of steam. If you press the switch for one bulb two or three times a day, and for another every second, then which one will “live” longer?
Lack of rest reduces performance
Often the pace and the need to do something faster in a short period of time lead to a decrease in the quality of rest. “The phenomenon of weekend depression is known, when a person works in the usual rhythm all week, but as soon as free space and space appear, he does not know what to do with himself. Therefore, there are many who do not like weekends and holidays. Our heart is at rest for about a third of its activity. That is why it can work for many years — because it has time to rest. It is worth taking an example from him.
Pauses are what allows for more productive activity during an intense period
There is such a parable. The world championship among lumberjacks is held. The two finalists each receive a plot. For 50 minutes, the Canadian and the Norwegian are cutting wood, but then the Canadian hears that the Norwegian has stopped. And so every hour: a Norwegian cuts 50 minutes, 10 minutes — no. The Canadian rejoices: he did not stop, it turns out, he did more in 60 minutes. When the cubic capacity of the forest was calculated in the final, it turned out that the Canadian won. How so? “While you continued to chop, I sharpened my ax,” the Norwegian explained.
“Pauses are what provide more productive activity during an intense period. This parable is also about sharpening the tools that we use in life. Including our mental tool. Surfing the net or the stock exchange tables is a valuable activity. But admiring the sunset is also important, ”concludes the expert.
Four exercises to slow down time
1. Capture moments for contemplation
The complaint that “I am constantly late everywhere or do not have time to do everything that needs to be done” is quite common in psychotherapy. “One of my clients was very late — for half an hour, for one and a half,” says Alexei Stepanov. — It came to mysticism: she left on time, it seemed that she had time, but then the subway train got up or something happened to her. At some point, I asked what she does when she realizes that she is already late? “I stop rushing. I start to walk more slowly, calm down, look around — how women are dressed, what beautiful stucco molding at metro stations.
This woman in such moments notices the world around her. The idea behind this “discovery” is to set aside time specifically for moments of contemplation—to intentionally begin to notice the styles of clothes, peer into faces, take walks in the park, and watch the sunset or the flow of the river.
2. Force yourself to sit down for five minutes without being distracted by external tasks.
Very useful during the hustle and bustle, when you start to stumble and choke on tasks, force yourself to sit down and not be distracted by anything. The world will not collapse. Nothing will happen if a call comes in and you don’t answer it right away. Just five minutes! This is an exercise in feeling that speed and pace are not so important. Understanding this is healing, thought Anthony of Surozh.
3. Do not jump up for five minutes, do not succumb to internal impulses to run somewhere
The same pause of five minutes, when, on the contrary, there are no urgent tasks and their absence is very unusual for us. At this moment, it is important not to succumb to temptation, not to jump up at the first impulse to do something. «Oh, I need to call.» No need! We sit for five minutes. Stop the rush, stay in place. Feel those «slow» five minutes.
4. Hurry slowly without making unnecessary movements
“Have you ever seen fussy cats? Even if they play, they do not make a single unnecessary throw or jump. They are calm and slow. They walk in a straight line.» A professional surgeon does not make unnecessary incisions and movements. The cat and the surgeon have something in common — they have a goal that they achieve in the most effective way. Helping yourself to understand the purpose of the present moment will be easier if you ask just three questions: “How do I breathe? What I feel? What do I want to do?