7 Simple Steps to Embrace Slow Living through Minimalism

At present, we keep trying to squeeze more and more into our day. Wishing for an extra few hours to fuel our productivity, but our obsession with getting the most done has gotten too extreme.

Maybe we don’t need more hours, but what we need is slowing down our pace.

Slow living is a minimalist mindset that can transform how we approach our day. It is about intentionally deciding how you want to guide your day rather than making decisions by default.

It is not just for someone without a busy work life or wanting to lead a remote lifestyle, but rather about doing things at a slower pace and unhurriedly. It allows us to let go of the constant worry of fulfilling our lives with excess and focus on what is in the present moment, with more of an attitude of savoring.

It is more than just being mindful of what you bring into your life with a sense of contentment and clarity. By embracing minimalism we can create more time and space for the things we enjoy, things that bring us joy and make us feel the simple pleasure of slow living.

7 Simple Ways to Nurture Simple Living Through Minimalism

1. Lighten Your Load

Have you ever woken up in a mountain of work, feeling overwhelmed? You have too many things to do in little time, and you keep pushing yourself through till you turn into a stress ball.

Guess what? You put it all on yourself.

We keep accumulating things in our lives. One after one we pursue possessions in a never-ending cycle of wanting more than we can manage.

After getting one thing, we are fixed on something else. Passing through them like achieving milestones, never fully content with them.

But do we really need it?

Things might have their appeal and need to you at a certain point, but as time passes, they keep losing their significance in our lives. Only a few things that have deep sentimental value attached to them will remain forever cherished by you.

By removing excess in your life and home, you can invite a little bit of slowness and figure out what your right speed is. Not just decluttering your physical space but your entire life.

Clearing out unnecessary objects can help create a more serene and peaceful atmosphere, allowing you to focus on what truly matters. It creates space that allows you to grow.

2. Embrace Mundane Chores

Your everyday routine is a set of ordinary, mundane chores. These normal, boring parts of our daily lives are the core aspects of leading a slow life.

Processing these rituals can give you an opportunity to embrace all the inputs that you are putting into yourself at the moment.

These daily recurring aspects of our lives are what add balance to our day, which is something we are somewhat missing out on.

So take that two minutes of loading your laundry or doing dishes as a natural opportunity to regulate and create a more meaningful space. When we stop escaping these simple in-between moments, we start to appreciate our efforts and time more.

3. Intentionally Slow Down Every Day

Let’s be honest, we overdo things sometimes. To make ourselves feel better or when trying to be more efficient, but eventually, we burn ourselves out.

During busy days, the thought of having an hour or even a few minutes to spend however we want feels like a big ask.

When you sit down and absorb things happening, you feel everything slowing down around you. You will sense a different connection with your surroundings. It makes you come out of your fight or flight mode and makes you believe that you have enough time to enjoy a little part of your day.

Having a few minutes to just sit and do nothing is the minimal and most doable thing you can do to not miss a day to connect to yourself and what’s important to you.

Maybe it’s 10 minutes, or maybe it’s 2 hours, but try to block some free time for yourself somewhere in your daily schedule just to spend time with your pets or observe what is happening around your house and enjoy this simple pleasure of slow living.

4. Quit Something

One of the easiest and minimalist ways to nurture slow living in your everyday life is by letting things go.

Giving up on any activity that you would find yourself to be relieved from is a simple and actionable approach to make an attempt to slow down your day.

When you separate yourself from the things that you might feel are going to end soon and no longer are going to offer you anything, you will feel a greater sense of relief once you withdraw. When you quit an extra thing you were doing to make amends or just to idle away your time, and rather than engaging in the things you genuinely want to, you also free up that time devoted to fruitless activities.

Instead, be involved in the things you might be excited about and something that has been in your mind for a while. But try not to cling to it, because you must know when to let go.

5. Streamline Your Digital Life

Our smartphones and digital gadgets swallow a significant portion of our time and attention. And most of the time we are latched on to some devices.

But let’s say there is a better way to use technology without feeling used by it. Instead of scrapping all the devices and living a more old-fashioned lifestyle, keep only what is essential. Our digital space also gets cluttered like our visual space, which can overwhelm us oftentimes. Organizing and decluttering our digital gadgets encourages a slower and calmer living.

Take time to clean your email box, unsubscribe from unwanted newsletters, organize files, and delete apps that you don’t use regularly. Streamlining your digital life will allow you to focus more on other important things and deter you from being constantly distracted.

6. Prioritize Experiences

In a world where prized possessions often equate to success, embracing minimalism and nurturing slow living can shift your focus more towards experiences rather than material things.
In place of filling your home with material possessions, invest in creating more memorable occasions.

It is cool to want to buy a new car or dine out more often, but we should also appreciate the simple joy as well. Whether it’s a weekend getaway or a simple picnic in the park, these small events add opportunities to embrace the simplest moments in our lives.

7. Grab a Book Instead of Phone

To fully embrace slow living, we have to make a conscious effort to define how we use our time. Nurturing a slow life is more about how we perceive time instead of just literally slowing down our pace.

It is not about spending your day becoming more productive and maximizing to save every last scrap of it. But rather spending in an unhurried and meaningful way.

What we need is to get a real sense of how we will spend it, like rediscovering your pleasure of reading a book, taking walks in nature, or simply enjoying some quality time without distraction.

Simplify Your Day by Embracing Slow Living

In between our daily demands and work chores, we have all forgotten how meaningful and peaceful our ordinary life can become. By embracing minimalism, you can find contentment in simplicity, the pure joy of being in the present and just simply living.

Incorporating these minimalist practices can help you slow down your hurried day and ground you to savor each passing moment.

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About the Author: Jagruti Waghela is a wellness writer, self-care enthusiast, and creator of My Wellness Sanctuary. There she helps build comforting and calming rituals, so you can choose your wellness and turn your daily life chaos into a peaceful sanctuary.