The Power of Slowing Down

Reading Just in Time to the wee one.

This is one of the most refreshing Christmas breaks of my life. I haven't had to work much from home during this year's holiday, so I'm focusing on two things: family time and finishing an unabridged translation of War and Peace by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. I'm not worrying about the daily news cycle, not rushing out the door to make the bus, not writing any stories, not racing to meet deadlines, not spending all day on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

It's not that I don't enjoy work (I do) — I'm simply re-learning the vital lesson that life's a lot more enjoyable when I slow down. I've been thinking about this a lot lately (that is, when I have time to think), and now that I actually have time to press the brakes, the lesson is setting in. Unfortunately, such a mellow cadence isn't typical in the United States, and it is especially unrealistic for anyone who works in media relations and social media.

The Christmas break ends in a few days (darn it!), and I know I'll be seeking new ways to tap in to the power of slow in the coming year. May we all do the same.