Strange and sad enough that, at least in modern societies, the time that is given to us as living beings and should be enjoyed as a gift, is rather seen as a problem, an enemy we are so hard striving to overcome, or a rival to race with. Even a moment spent simply doing nothing seems to be a rare luxury for us.
Carl Honoré’s international bestseller ‘In Praise of Slowness: How a Worldwide Movement is Challenging the Cult of Speed’ is just about that. We are constantly trying to do things as fast as it is possible: we eat fast, talk fast, work fast. The very strife to be quick is becoming a goal, regardless the fact that this does serious harm to the quality of our life. We sleep 90 minutes less than our ancestors did a hundred years ago, we don’t have time for our family and friends, fast food consumption has acquired a catastrophic level in the USA, the number of people experiencing hard stress is gradually increasing… We are caught in the tight corner of the reckless rush and speed culture, comments on the situation Honoré. He doesn’t mean, however, that we have to be slow. If we want to achieve the expected results, we have to find the proper balance between speed and slowness.
We all have the possibility to relax for a while. Even if you think you are too busy, you can still slow down by taking a weekend holiday trip. A spa day, peaceful cruising, or morning spent fishing on the lake will help you restore the balance needed for productive work. While haste often induces short term thinking, by letting yourself to relax and taking the time for reflection, you can evaluate things globally and focus more on long term perspectives.
As Honoré further observes, more and more companies now encourage their people to take a rest, special rest rooms are equipped where the employees can meditate or even take a nap. Thus workforce productivity, energy and creativity are increased. 50 years ago, siesta in Spain was looked upon as an expression of general laziness. Today it is seen as a useful time needed to maintain efficient staff performance.
Organising a corporate event such as team holidays where the group can enjoy their free time while participating in various leisure activities can help them restore a healthy speed balance. Involvement in team games and relaxing outdoor pursuits will distract your people from their ‘urgent’ everyday problems, and after a period of relaxation they will cope with these problems more easily. |
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