6 Things We Do To Slow Down
Ways we take it slower and easier, even if we work harder.
I try to have a monthly tips feature on here, usually one that pertains to what I have written about for the month. Last week I wrote about an Analog Life. By that, I mean taking the time to make things by hand or manually, rather than relying on everything digital or premade from the store. I started this post wanting to share some tips that might help you choose how you want to slow down in your own life. But I realized that is unnecessary when there are so many of those types of lists available. Instead, I’m just sharing the things we do here in our home, hoping to give you some jumping off places.
My husband and I have talked over the years about how we want to be as low-tech as possible. My husband is more extreme than I, but we have agreed more and more as the years have gone by and technology has become more prevalent. I used to think it was no big deal to use little bits of technology, and I still lean more into it than he does. But I also see how it slowly eats away at the fabric of a family and a community. We need to draw our lines and keep our territory free from ‘the encroachment’ in our own ways.
See people.
We always choose to interact with real people at the bank or the grocery store rather than the ATM or self-check out. Even if I do a grocery pick-up I jump out and help the person unload. We always try to make eye-contact with a cashier and tell them to have a nice day.
Park your phone
We have a place in our home where we can charge our phones. When I am in the house (which is mostly) my phone is there. Not in my pocket. It is in a very visible, highly trafficked part of the house. If I decide to go scroll on my phone, everyone can see me and I have to stand (because there is no comfy chair in this spot). This keeps the experience uncomfortable. My kids see me engaged on my phone instead of them, so they keep me accountable too. 😂 I also turn off as many notifications as possible so that only the truly important ones can get my attention. I feel certain that this one act has freed up so much of my time to do other things.
Make real food.
We bake our own breads and treats. I menu plan and cook a homemade meal almost every night. I keep a couple of sourdough starters. We have homemade pizza night every week. I still buy some convenience foods from the store, but it is the exception, not the rule.
Sewing
I love to sew quilts! My grandmother taught me when I was 16 and I’ve been hooked ever since. I find that sewing is a skill that can be useful anytime. I teach my kids how to sew on a button or to sew up a simple seam rip. my older ones have learned to sew quilts too, though we don’t always have time for this. But they have been exposed and can dive more deeply into it as they grow older.
Canning
I love canning some (not all!) of my foods. Now I’m not a homesteading fanatic who wants an entire pantry dedicated to a year’s worth of food (though that could be cool!) but I love to make the things that are so much yummier when they are made at home. Jams, salsa, canned tomatoes, and chicken broth are some of my favorites for their simplicity and speed.
Hang dried laundry
I love love love hang drying my laundry. Do I use a dryer? Yes, I do, on bad weather days. But when the weather is beautiful there is nothing better than hanging up wet clothes and taking them down all dry and smelling of sunshine.
I’m sure there are more but this is what is most obvious to me. I hope sharing these things has got you thinking about different ways you can free up some time to choose a slower life. I can guarantee that when you find the right things, you will find it is such a blessing to slow down and feel the work of your hands making something good.