FEELING OVERWHELMED? HERE ARE 3 WAYS TO EMBRACE SLOW LIVING RIGHT NOW, EVEN DURING THE WORKING WEEK
The weather is cooler, the nights are darker and you’re experiencing that hectic push at work before Christmas. One of these things in isolation might feel manageable, but combine them all, and it can leave you feeling pretty overwhelmed.
If you’re feeling a bit ‘meh’ right now, you’re not alone. One study found that two in five of us report feeling more anxious when the evenings get darker earlier, and where work is concerned, eight in 10 of us say we experience work-related stress on a regular basis.
It’s perhaps no surprise, then, that we’re looking to change things up and add more joy and peace into our lives. And, it appears a major way of doing this is by embracing slow living.
Slow living, a lifestyle that prioritises creating meaning and making conscious and considered decisions, has seen a surge in popularity over the last year. Google reports that searches for “slow living lifestyle” increased by 60% in the past 12 months, while “how to practice slow living during the work week” is a trending search term in the UK right now.
The good news is that slow living can be practised alongside your other priorities, such as career and family commitments. Here are three ways to embrace this lifestyle to make your routine feel more conscious and meaningful during the working week.
Plot in some mindful activities
As the festive season approaches, our social calendars can book up quickly. Before we know it, there’s work drinks on a Tuesday, a Christmas-themed dinner party on Wednesday and family visiting on Thursday.
But, among these commitments, it’s important to find some time to let yourself enjoy some mindful activities. Focus on what makes you happy and makes you feel at peace – it could be craft, a walk in the park or even stargazing – and make sure you incorporate it into your working week.
Transform your working from home space
Stuck in a rut at work? Changing up your space could help. Studies have shown that carving out the right office space when working from home can make you happier and more productive.
Not sure where to start? Try using Nano Banana, Google’s AI image generator, to get ideas on how you can transform your space and create a cosy atmosphere. Alternatively, if you have a smartphone that uses AI, like Google’s Pixel 10 with Gemini, let it help you by using prompts that will transform your space to facilitate a slow living mindset during your working week.
Try some breathing exercises
Slow yourself down by taking the time to practise some breathing exercises to put yourself in a more peaceful mindset. Try starting with box breathing:
- Inhale through the nose into the belly for a count of four
- Hold breath for a count of four (try not to clamp down muscles when holding your breath – simply avoid inhaling or exhaling for four seconds)
- Exhale through the nose for a count of four
- Hold breath for a count of four
- Repeat for four rounds
Incorporating these slow living measures into your life, even gradually, should help you tackle the overwhelm of the working week.
Images: Getty
2025-11-09T07:33:11Z