Slowed Down

Hitting a Speed Bump

Life as we know it has changed since this COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. The norm that we were used to, that fast-paced, hectic, high adrenaline, and jam-packed life where we wake up to days filled with endless moments of rushing from point A to point B, has taken a break. We were living perpetually busy lives, always on the go and relentlessly trying to get to our goals and destinations. Life has accelerated so much in the last few decades that slowing down is just not that appealing or even possible anymore, and in many cases, even detrimental. Psychologist and author, Dr. Stephanie Brown, illustrates in her book that we’re addicted to faster living and that we fear slowing down. Our accelerating speed of life is not only evident in the rampant rise of fast food restaurants around the world but also, as researchers are finding, even in the less discernible little things. Our pace of walking is faster. The speed of our speech is faster. The music we listen to is faster.

We were eternally fighting with time, always wanting to beat it, or else we get beat by drop-dead dates and deadlines. We had an obsession with our busyness and we would often get our self-worth validated by how in-demand we are in our careers. When we get emails and texts, we can’t help but respond in 90 seconds or else we miss out or fall behind. We’re expected to respond to email in no more 60 minutes. Even when we go on vacation, we can’t seem to slow down, unplug, and stop reaching for our electronic devices to check in on work. We seem to have forgotten the original concept of vacation—a word that comes from the same root word for vacant and vacuum, as in unoccupied or emptiness. We’re so used to having a steady stream of activities that even when going on vacation, we want to fill it with even more activities.

Forced Deceleration

Well, this pandemic slammed on the brakes for us. There’s no denying that there is a sense of uncertainty and despair but there’s also a sense of deep examination and reflection. Being sheltered-in-place has given us some downtime forcing us to re-evaluate the priorities and the necessities in our lives. Whether we like this forced downtime or not, some good might come out of this downtime. It's a gentle reminder that we needed.

If you’re a member of the church choir, you’ve probably used that small sticky tape to bookmark the pages of the songbook. It’s a genius idea and many of us in my choir use it. Well, we have a fellow church choir singer, Arthur Fry, who also happened to be a 3M scientist, to thank for inventing that little innovative thing called Post-It Notes. We also have his company, 3M, to thank for valuing downtime and allowing its employees to use it because that is what enabled Arthur Fry to come up with this brainchild. Downtime enables the brain to wander and to think big ideas, and to venture out of the box.

In our fast-paced lives with a never-ending to-do-list and where time is money, the idea of downtime sounds counterintuitive, counterproductive, and costly. But “wasting time,” as Pope Francis had once put it, is not exactly time wasted. That period of powering down, disconnecting, and stepping away from work is actually proving to be a fruitful strategy that some of the most successful companies have employed, enabling employees to come up with creative and innovative products. Many companies are realizing through recent research that downtime is beneficial not only to their employees’ personal well-being but also to their companies’ bottom-line. Post-It Notes at 3M and Gmail and Google Earth at Google are just some examples of the innovations that resulted from companies incorporating the strategy of having downtime.

The Opportunities that Come With It

In this time of the pandemic, the people just being creative in their activities have been popping up everywhere in droves. Parents seem less uptight, staying in the comfort of their sweatpants and sweatshirts everyday as they play with their kids more. Families are coming up with all kinds of new games and revisiting old board games. They're going outside and riding their bikes together. Their creative juices are flowing together as a family coming up with new ideas to reinvent their lives. More importantly, prayingk. on together as a family has increased. This pandemic has given us that chance to feel what it's like to be not so busy, reminding us how much we need to cherish the moment and our loved ones.

Eureka! Eureka!

Research suggests that productivity actually increases and workers perform better when intermittent periods of downtime are integrated into the work schedule. Our brains function better when we feel refreshed and relaxed. That’s why some of our eureka moments come to us when we are in the shower. Ancient Greek Mathematician, Archimedes, leaped out of the bath shouting “Eureka! Eureka!” which means “I’ve found it! I’ve found it!” upon realizing the solution to a Math problem. In fact, a recent study had concluded that 72% of people get their best ideas in the shower. It’s when we are in a relaxed state, in solitude, and oblivious to the ticking of time and the world outside that we are able to gain access to the deep recesses of the mind.

Our busy brains are constantly bombarded with information and having downtime in our schedule gives us that much-needed opportunity to just catch up, consolidate all that data, reorganize our brain space, and reframe the situation. Downtime allows us to mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually rejuvenate and recharge. It is the time for us to just be still and pray. This moment of downtime is our chance to empty out all our worries, reset, and fill ourselves with hope, peace, and compassion. As Pope Benedict wrote: “In this way, the person praying creates an empty space which can then be filled by the richness of God.” Take this moment of emptiness and fill it with grace. Even after this pandemic is over, we must remember what it's like to be able to stop and smell the roses. Find more time for spiritual eureka moments and be wowed by the joy of finding and recognizing God working in our lives.