10 things to slow down

Just because you only have a few hours (or less) of free time doesn't mean you have to squeeze in everything that you can possibly do in that time. Don't stress out if your free time is taken up by Netflix binges or chores.

Eating slowly has a few benefits: we eat less because we can feel full faster and we can consciously enjoy the food we eat rather than scarfing it down.

When I was young, I volunteered at my dentist. I was sitting with him as we were eating lunch together and I saw that when he chewed, he chewed very very slowly. I asked him why, as politely as I could, he was chewing slowly. He said that the force between a fast bite and a slow bite are really the same, but by chewing slowly, you can avoid biting your cheek, tongue or lip (I do this often because I chew fast). Finally, chewing slowly also means you get the most nutrients out of your food.

Usually, even if I had the time to slow down, I would resort to instant coffee so that I can get on with my day. But having bought a hand grinder, it's a process to make coffee, put it in my aeropress and then get the coffee. I use the time to reflect on what I have to do that day. I use the time to enjoy my coffee. And I don't feel as rushed in the morning.

They grow up so quickly - why would you want time to speed up?

I don't think I'm the first to say that we should all be spending more time with our parents while they're still around.

At the end of the day, it's not about how many books you've read but how many books you've learned, taken into your life, and taken action on. Maybe you can speed read and still get everything out of books, but I can't.

Although I'm a proponent of walking fast to be more efficient if you're walking just to enjoy the scenery, walk a little slower than normal. You'll take in more things.

I find that I send emails too quickly. I don't look them over. I don't edit them. I don't spend the time to trim unnecessary words. I don't consider at what time I'm sending them and how that might be perceived by the recipients. Let's slow down. Do we even need an email in the first place?

I get it. I want to get in and out of the bathroom as quickly as I can. But let's not skimp on washing our hands, especially during this time when there are lots of contagious diseases.