Speed is the fetish of our time. Rapid pace is essential if we are to successfully manage an impressive to-do list. But let’s not forget that our nature requires balance, which means that the ability to not rush is no less important for us, explains psychologist Alan Castel.
Researchers have calculated that, on average, we reach for our smartphone every 6,5 minutes, which is a total of 150 times a day. We do it completely thoughtlessly. The habit of constant distraction affects concentration and social connections, especially during long important conversations.
This problem is very relevant for young people, but, by the way, there are those who successfully resist the temptation to check mail, instant messengers and social networks every minute. For older people, the fear of falling behind virtual life is not so characteristic: they are more focused on the present moment.
Speed and efficiency are highly valued in a rapidly changing world, but slow pace has its own charm: it allows you to see the other person’s point of view more clearly. For example, it is easier for the audience to follow the speech of a slow narrator.
Less words, more meaning. By trying to speak slowly, we learn to be a good listener.
When I first started speaking to students, I spoke very quickly. I tried to tell as much as possible, but I noticed that the listeners simply do not have time to perceive the information. Now, before a performance, I write myself only one reminder: “Pause.” This allows the audience to ask questions, and I immediately see how well I was understood. Less words, more meaning. Also, speaking slowly and clearly will help you become a good listener.
Slow walking helps to assess in advance the dangers on the way, the risk of falling, and for older people this is one of the most common causes of hospitalization and even death. Dr. Steven Kasner, in Careful: A Guide to Our Traumatic Minds, describes the threats we face through inattention. At any age, it is important not to stumble on the steps or notice the slippery surface in time.
In an article on reducing everyday risks, Pulitzer Prize-winning geographer Jared Diamond argues that the most dangerous place in the house is the bathroom. It is very easy to slip in the shower, and this carelessness can be fatal. One of the consequences (if not benefits) of old age is the lack of haste: as people age, they carefully assess their familiar environment for risks.
The famous Stanford «marshmallow» experiment also demonstrates the benefits of the ability to take your time and wait. Small children were seated in front of a saucer of marshmallows. Then the researcher left for a few minutes, but before that he warned: if they did not eat a treat before his arrival, then they would receive a second marshmallow. Of course, it is difficult to refuse the sweetness lying in front of you, but after all, twice as much is due for patience.
The researchers continued to follow the participants in the experiment, and after a few years, it turned out that the children who knew how to wait performed better on exams, suffered less addictions, were less prone to obesity, responded better to stress, and were generally more successful in many indicators.
If you refuse to rush, the ability to understand and evaluate what is happening will increase.
So the wait is rewarded. We are often annoyed by a slow Internet connection, but the search becomes more meaningful, and its results are worked out more carefully. We take e-mails more seriously, think about the text, control the number of messages.
Slow Internet does not allow you to watch TV shows all day long, and this time can be spent communicating with loved ones. Kids love the jumping dinosaur game that pops up when the Google Chrome browser fails to load the site. Remember how the TV broadcast suddenly cut off and a static color adjustment picture appeared on the screen? We and our brains need such pauses.
For modern people, the speed of perception and action is very important, but if it is slightly lowered, the ability to understand and evaluate what is happening will increase. That is why the movements for “slow food”, “slow parenting”, “slow running” are gaining popularity today.
Our behavior also affects health: for example, you will need less food to be full if you do not swallow it on the go, but eat slowly and thoughtfully. Meditation helps to tune in to calm reflection. Sometimes we enjoy delayed rewards — New Year’s gifts and long-awaited online purchases that were not immediately received at the delivery point.
Many religions set aside a certain day for rest, reflection and awareness of gratitude to the world. We begin to appreciate the benefits of a slow pace as we get older. And although no one wants to grow old, this process has one important plus: we learn to live more slowly, enjoy the moment here and now, and not worry so much about the future.
About the Author: Alan Castel is Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles and an American Psychological Association Award Winner.