HAVE you ever had the feeling that you are always short of time? The alarm rings and you hop out of bed. Another day is off and running. A quick shower, and the rest, well you know! More and more it feels like our lives have turned into a gruelling race toward a finish line we never reach. No matter how fast we go, no matter how many comforts we forgo in order to quicken our pace, there never seems to be enough time. So what are we really in a rush for?

When was the last time you took a moment to ‘really’ enjoy your morning cup of tea or coffee?  When was the last time you really saw the beauty in nature and enjoyed being present to experience these simple things? Have you ever tried slowing down and just taking a backseat to enjoy the little pleasures in life?

It seems that the faster we go, the farther we fall behind. Ever noticed how hurriedly the days seem to pass by, and you still feel there is so much left to be done. Doesn’t it always seem that there is so much to be done, yet less time do it all? What does it mean to rush through life? Simply put, when you rush through life, you forget to live NOW.  It means not being able to enjoy what you like doing. You don’t appreciate things around you, nor the outdoor, and don’t spend time with your loved ones.

Instead, what do people rushing through life do? They are always working, connected to their laptops or PCs, or on their mobile phones. Or they are checking their emails, blogging, commenting, multitasking, on social media, and keep working endlessly without a break! Such people just don’t wait to stop and think how and where life is heading. They don’t have the time. After a long workweek, the rest of our life becomes a rat race, during which we have little choice but to hurry from activity to activity, with one eye always on the clock. Our Saturday then seems to just evaporate and Sundays turn into a hectic whirlwind of errands before Monday arrives at the speed of light.

We have quickened the pace of life only to become less patient. We have become more organized but less spontaneous and less joyful. We are better prepared to act on the future but less able to enjoy the present and reflect on the past. When you rush through your life as it is, you miss out on the journey. You miss out on living in the present. You miss out on those precious moments of life. 

Wolfgang Sachs rightly affirms that, “A society that lives in the fast lane can never be a sustainable society,” he went on to say “In a fast-paced world we put a lot of energy into arrivals and departures and less into the experience itself.” Imagine a world where everyone slowed down a little.

When you jump from one task to another and forget what you just did, or which direction you just came from, you lose awareness of everything around you, thus lose to live in the moment. You create a vicious cycle for yourself where you find yourself running after time. And as you hurry, you make mistakes, achieve little, and take much more time doing the things that need to be done.

Slow down, step into the present; be aware, alert, and conscious. When you are focused, you can make better choices and feel much more in control. Remember, when you slow down and enjoy life, your will reduce the stress and tension that comes across in your work, family, and relationship. It would give you immense happiness and satisfaction. We all have a chance to slow down. So, stop rushing through life, because in doing so, you are missing out on a lot of things that matter.

How do we begin to apply the brakes in our lives when the world around us seems to be stomping on the gas pedal? Walter Hagen once said, “You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry, don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.” Life isn’t a 100 metre race, it’s a marathon; you need to run long not fast. For that, you need to be like the tortoise; be slow, be steady, and win the race!

- Ashley Mwanza