7 Ways To Embrace Slow Living

Is modern life with its endless to-do lists and constant connectivity leaving you feeling stressed and burnt out? Then it might be time to embrace slow living. Slow living is a lifestyle concept that encourages you to slow down and live more intentionally, helping you find more balance and peace in your life.

Are you ready to slow down? Keep reading for our 5 ways to embrace slow living…

Practice Mindfulness

Slow living is all about being in the present moment, so it’s only right that practicing mindfulness is first on the list when trying to live at a slower pace. Although it may sound like a big change, bringing mindfulness into your daily life doesn’t have to be difficult. It's about taking small moments for yourself to be aware of your thoughts, feelings and surroundings.

Mindfulness can be practiced through meditation and deep breathing, or it can be as simple as drinking your morning coffee outside and listening to your surroundings without distractions. Mindfulness offers a sense of calm that can help reduce stress, boost your wellbeing and help you take things a little slower.

Make Time For Self-care

Being too busy is often the first excuse for not making time for yourself, but embracing slow living is all about finding pockets of time to take a step back from the hustle and bustle. Just like mindfulness, practicing self-care brings you into the present moment and away from the rest of the world.

Whether that’s making time for a calming bath with some mineral-rich bath salts, or lighting your favourite candle and reading a book. Anything that you do for yourself in kindness is a great way to slow down and look after your own wellbeing.

Reconnect With Nature

Being in nature allows you to disconnect from the world and breathe a sigh of relief. As well as connecting with ourselves, embracing slow living is about prioritising connection with our environment, and what better way to do that than getting outdoors. Not only does spending time in nature allow you to slow down, it’s also shown to have positive effects on our physical and mental wellbeing.

Getting enough daylight each day triggers the release of our happy hormone serotonin, which can help reduce stress and anxiety, as well as improve your sleep and overall mood.

Unplug and Disconnect

We know that the amount of time we spend glued to our screens isn’t good for our wellbeing, but it’s hard to switch off from the endless notifications and mindless scrolling. If you’re looking to embrace slow living, you have to accept that being online 24/7 and slowing down don’t go hand-in-hand. Learning how to unplug and disconnect is so important when it comes to living slower.

Why not create no-phone zones in your home (like your bedroom) and set daily screen time limits to make sure technology isn’t distracting you from being present. If you enjoy the feeling of being tech-free, why not try longer periods of digital detox for a refreshing reset.

Adopt a Slower Routine

The act of deliberately slowing down your routine is the hardest way to embrace slow living as it’s a complete lifestyle change. All our previous ways to embrace slow living have been things you can fit into your day; but adopting a slower routine requires you to move through your day with intention, rather than rushing.

So, why not wake up 30 minutes earlier to enjoy your morning routine without any time pressure or put your phone away in the evenings and use your scrolling time to slowly make yourself a lovely dinner. This intentional pacing encourages you to focus on yourself, your loved ones, and your surroundings, which is the whole purpose of embracing slow living.

Cultivate Patience

In the pursuit of slow living, one of the most transformative shifts is learning to cultivate patience. In a society that often equates speed with success, slowing down can feel counterintuitive, even challenging. However, there is a quiet power in allowing yourself the time to truly savour each moment. Patience is the key to unlocking a deeper appreciation for life’s unfolding, where you find beauty not in the destination, but in the journey itself.

Practice patience by giving yourself permission to move through tasks at your own pace, free from the pressure to rush. As you do, you’ll discover that patience isn’t just about waiting—it’s about creating space for experiences to breathe, for moments to be fully lived and cherished. This gentle approach to time allows you to experience life more richly, with a sense of calm and fulfilment that only comes from truly embracing the present.

The Joy of Saying No

Slow living also invites us to reconsider our commitments, encouraging us to say no to the things that don’t align with our values or bring us joy. In a world where busyness is often worn as a badge of honour, it can be difficult to resist the urge to fill our calendars with activities and obligations. Yet, by consciously choosing to say no, you create room for what truly matters - those moments that enrich your life, nurture your well-being, and allow you to live more intentionally.

Saying no is a powerful act of self-care. It’s about recognising your limits and honouring them, understanding that your time and energy are precious resources. This might mean declining invitations that don’t resonate with you or setting boundaries that protect your peace. In doing so, you’ll find that slow living isn’t about doing less for the sake of it, but it’s about making space for what matters most.