Here is a post about trying not to rush through things.
We all seem to have too much to do. Each day brings us a myriad of tasks that need completing. Our tendency is to rush though things to get them all done by the end of the day. But, when we do that, we often feel exhausted and unsatisfied by the experience. Our challenge is to try not to be overwhelmed by the amount of things that need doing and to take each thing as it comes and be present to that. I often tell myself, “do only what’s directly in front of you”, that is, stop worrying about all the other things that need to get done and stick with what I need to do in this moment.
Here are some good questions to ask yourself if you see that you tend to rush through things:
- What’s driving me to rush through this? Is it really necessary, or can I slow down and try to change my momentum?
- What am I missing my rushing through this? Is there an important detail I’m not seeing?
- Is it more important that I get this done quickly or that I take them time to really understand the whole process that’s been put forth?
- Am I sacrificing quality by rushing to get results?
The next time you find yourself rushing, try to intentionally slow down. As my husband often observes, “You’re like a race horse that’s burst out of the gate before the gun has gone off!” I’m very motivated by getting results and my tendency is to rush through things to get them done. But, I’ve found that I often miss important moments and important information along the way that I regret afterwards. It helps me to plan and put in some stop action at different places within any endeavor. I use this stop watch so that no matter how fast I’m going, I can plan on certain points when I’ll slow down to make sure I’m not missing something important.
There’s an appropriate saying from the Amish that reads, “It’s not rushing through tasks to achieve a series of goals that is satisfying, it’s experiencing each moment along the way.”
Kathleen