The secret to thriving in a fast-paced world: Slow down - it’s a way to speed up !

“Let’s grab a cup of coffee on our way to the appointment”

“Let’s get food at the drive through and eat it in the car”

“Let's order in because I don’t have time to prepare dinner between meetings”

What do all these three sentences have in common?

They all represent our fast-paced society we live in. They all represent speed!

In the last decades the lifestyle of most of us has changed drastically. We live in a society obsessed with speed.

But is this a change for the better or the worse?

Don’t get me wrong, there are many positive results of our lifestyle changes. Living has turned very convenient. You don’t need to spend time on preparing 3 meals per day, you can just order them with one click on your phone or pick them up somewhere on the way home from work. Transportation has become easier, you can order an uber anywhere you are and it will come and pick you up. If you send an email or a message to someone you can expect an answer immediately because everyone carries their phone around at all times. Technology has made a lot of significant breakthroughs such as artificial intelligence.

But here’s the thing: Living live where everything has to happen on double speed, might actually be harmful for us.

We might be very productive and achieve our goals faster but this might actually lead to other problems. According to the Journal of applied humanities studies (JAHS) it affects us in multiple dimensions: physical, mental and social relationships (Vijiradharma, 2023).

Living in a constant rush negatively impacts both physical and mental health. Chronic stress can lead to issues like heart disease, anxiety, and depression, as the human nervous system isn’t built for continuous pressure (Sapolsky, 2004). Haste also impairs memory, learning, and decision-making, as the brain needs time to reflect and process information effectively (Brown et al., 2016). Constant, fast-paced decisions lead to mental fatigue and poor judgment. The rise of smartphones and social media has increased anxiety and depression in younger generations, due to constant comparisons, notification pressure, and lack of downtime (Twenge & Campbell, 2018). Rushed lifestyles also harm family communication and reduce quality time, while broader social connections and community involvement have declined, weakening both individual well-being and societal bonds (Putnam, 2000).

Here are some strategies that we can implement into our lives to reduce the negative effects of speed to not drown in it but to ride it out like a wave:

1. Mindful Time Management

• Focus on quality of activities and alignment with life values.

• Use systems like Getting Things Done (Allen, 2001) to organize tasks and reduce mental clutter.

2. Meditation & Mindfulness Practice

• Practice short daily meditation (10–15 minutes) to improve attention, emotional control, and self-awareness (Davidson & Lutz, 2008).

3. Meaningful Rituals and Routines

• Establish stable habits (e.g., morning routines with exercise or reading) to reduce decision fatigue and anchor the day (Duhigg, 2012).

4. Digital Boundaries

• Limit phone, social media, and notifications to reduce distractions.

• Create focused environments for deep work (Newport, 2016).

5. Effective Communication Skills

• Learn to express needs and boundaries clearly.

• Practice empathetic listening and conflict resolution (Rosenberg, 2003).

6. Holistic Health Care

• Prioritize exercise, nutrition, quality sleep, and real rest.

• Sleep is critical for memory, emotion, and decision-making (Walker, 2017).

7. Nature Connection

• Spend time in natural settings to lower stress and improve mental health—even short exposure helps (Ulrich, 1984).

8. Mental Flexibility

• Adapt to change by shifting thought patterns (Beck, 1976).

• Accept imperfections, focus on what you can control, and view problems from different perspectives.

To conclude: We need to learn to coexist with nowadays speedy lifestyle changes and develop skills and strategies that can help us to thrive in it. It’s not something that we will learn from one day to another, its something we need to acquire over time. So lets start overthinking the way we go through every day life and maybe you can make some small changes that will have a big impact on you.

References

Brown, P. C., Roediger, H. L., & McDaniel, M. A. (2014). Make it stick: The science of

successful learning. Harvard University Press.

Davidson, R. J., & Lutz, A. (2008). Buddha's brain: Neuroplasticity and meditation. IEEE

Signal Processing Magazine, 25(6), 176-188.

Duhigg, C. (2012). The power of habit: Why we do what we do in life and business.

Newport, C. (2016). Deep work: Rules for focused success in a distracted world. Grand

Central Publishing.

Rosenberg, M. B. (2003). Nonviolent communication: A language of life. PuddleDancer

Press.

Sapolsky, R. M. (2004). Why zebras don't get ulcers (3rd ed.). Times Books.

Twenge, J. M., & Campbell, W. K. (2018). Associations between screen time and lower

psychological well-being among children and adolescents: Evidence from a

population-based study. Pediatrics, 142(4), e20162592.

Ulrich, R. S. (1984). View through a window may influence recovery from surgery. Science,

224(4647), 420-421.

Vijiradharma, P. . (2023). Finding the Right Balance in a Fast-Paced World: Creating Life Balance in the Digital Age. Journal of Applied Humanities Studies, 1(1), 51–65. retrieved from https://so09.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/J_AHS/article/view/6716

Allen, D. (2001). Getting things done: The art of stress-free productivity. Viking.

Walker, M. (2017). Why we sleep: Unlocking the power of sleep and dreams. Scribner.