I’m sure I’m not the first person to tell you that we live in a world where just about everything is at the tip of your fingertips. In fact, I know you’ve heard this before because it’s everywhere, for better or worse. 

If I want to find a good Italian place nearby, I can do so in a matter of seconds. If I’m wondering what’s going on around the world, I can find out within moments. If I want to buy a new shirt, I don’t even have to leave my house. 

For a long time, and especially recently, I’ve had the nagging feeling that I can never catch up – with myself, with those around me, and with life in general. The feeling that I’m never doing enough or that I’m constantly letting things slip through my fingers is exhausting, especially because objectively, that isn’t true. 

When I finally get the chance to take a step back, I am able to have brief moments of reassurance where I convince myself that all is well and that I might (haha) be overreacting. But taking that step back gets increasingly harder; it seems life doesn’t stop for anyone, particularly in a world where everything moves so fast.

So, when everything is this fast, how can we learn to slow down? 

This is a question I’ve been contemplating in depth, lately: I’ve noticed that when I want to slow down, it’s nearly impossible for me to do so without feeling nonproductive. My brain is trained to feel like slowing down means failure, and that can’t be healthy. 

Where do we even begin, then? 

As for most things, I do not have the universal answer for this. But, I believe the best place to start is the root of the chaos – social media, the internet, our devices. The presence of the internet has been such a revolutionary, positive thing – I am not by any means arguing that it is not – but with all pros, there are cons. Because we are so reliant on our devices, we need to learn how to distance ourselves for the quickness that technology provides. 

Learning to step away from our screens and be present with ourselves and those around us is so important in slowing down. Writing provides respite for me—so going to a coffeeshop by myself or with a close friend gives me an opportunity to step back. Some of my friends find their breathing space in nature or at the gym or through numerous other outlets.  

All of this is significantly easier said than done. When everything around you is fast paced, it’s hard to remember to slow down. If you do remember, it can be difficult to get into a habit of it because it feels like slowing down means letting others get ahead of you. But. it. doesn’t.

Slowing down is not stopping. Taking time to process is not weakness. Giving yourself room to breathe does not mean life is passing you by. 

It’s not a perfect science, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. But no matter what, slowing down requires stepping away from our screens or from our work or from whatever keeps us wound up. And we should try and make this more of a priority for not only our mental health but also our overall well being. 

By Bella Townsend

UC Berkeley student, poetry enthusiast and firm believer in Taco Tuesday