Slow Down To Accomplish More!

Yup, it sounds backwards, but slowing down is actually a faster way to accomplish more.

Go faster. Do more. Hustle. Hustle. Chase the next level, chase the next shiny object.

I’ve been there myself. I worked way too hard in my twenties. I remember so clearly those days working until 11pm. I even have memories of working until 5am the next day. But then I started to worry. I was afraid that in all my busyness, I would be missing out on the most beautiful parts of life. While many personal coaches and social-media influencers flash their private jets, fancy cars and hustle lifestyle, truly successful leaders and entrepreneurs who are actually happy and creating lasting results in their lives know that slowing down builds the true foundation for their success. It took me a decade to learn the true importance of slowing down to accomplish more and I want that for you. 

I schedule time to do nothing on purpose. I went on vacation with my family and feel absolutely no guilt for not working when I’m on vacation. I encourage you to unapologetically incorporate periods of stillness to help you ensure enhanced productivity and well-being.

When slowing down, focus on what’s truly important in life. When we live busy and distracted lives, we lose sight of the people and things that matter most to us. Slow down and re-evaluate your values and priorities every 6 months or so. Re-evaluate if your current routine is helping you stay healthy, both mentally and physically. 

For example Psychologists and doctors are talking about this new condition called hurry sickness, which is a form of modern day anxiety fueled by our constant state of rushiness, trying to squeeze in just one more thing into your already packed schedules. And this starts first thing in the morning. Do you rush to get up when the alarm rings? Or do you get up slowly from bed? Instead of rolling straight out of bed and into your life, set your alarm clock earlier and take time to welcome the day. Spend a few minutes of gentle stretching on bed, listen to a motivational speech to start your morning, make your bed and remove any rush and set the tone for the rest of your day.

When you drive and get on the road, intentionally slow down and actually drive the speed limit, is it hard? If it’s tough, if you want to beat traffic, if you are thinking about how to beat Google Map by a couple minutes, it’s time to slow down and force yourself to slow down. When you physically slow down you can begin to train your mind to mentally slow down. And when you’re at peace of mind, you’ll start to see sceneries and opportunities you otherwise miss. If you want to go a little further, take some time and spend it in silence. In our noisy world, silence is something we must intentionally choose to do. I’ve gone on silent retreats in the past where we don’t talk for a weekend and let me tell you that until this day that experience is still very eye-opening when I think about it. 

“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” 

― Lao Tzu

When you slow down, you are able to make good decisions, and better decisions than if your mind was more occupied. When you slow down and engage in activities that are slower paced like meditation, brain fog clears away and you see clarity and clarity is priceless. Once you stop rushing through life, you will be amazed how much more life you have time for. You will be amazed how much more productive you become because now you value your precious time more, leaving your precious time for your true values and priorities. 

Slow down and be your best. Life is not a race. It’s a playground to radiate your uniqueness and shine your light.

So have fun on your journey to slowing down yet accomplishing more. 

You can do anything, but not everything at once, so learn to give yourself breaks when you need them the most. Taking a break increases focus when I return to work, thus improving my productivity. Additionally, taking breaks relieves any stress, which helps our mental health and well-being. These factors contribute to increased life satisfaction and are essential to living an epic life. 

What does taking a break look like? It can look like alot of different forms:

1. Unplug and reset. Shut down electronic distractions. Get away from notifications and emails and spend some time in the real world or in your own mind.
2. Being aware. Lamens terms Quiet the monkey. Doing too many things at once you become restlessly jumping around or you are on autopilot. Take some quiet time to be aware of your thoughts. Re-focus and bring your subconscious mind into the conscious mind. 
3. Take a vacation. Take time to clear your mind and de-stress by doing something or going somewhere that brings you joy that relaxes you. A vacation can help you restore, regroup, and reassess.
4. Learn something new. Doing the same things over and over again every day can become daunting or boring. Try something new and get a hobby that has absolutely nothing to do with your work, best to be the complete polar opposite of what you do for work. 
5. Create something. Build or paint or draw, put together a jigsaw puzzle. Do some of the things you normally wouldn’t do because you never have the time but now you can set a time to complete this project. 

6.Take a break from the news. The news is often filled with all kinds of depressing information. 

7. Eat all your meals without rushing. Intentionally eat every meal slowly, mindfully, gratefully, and gracefully savoring every single bite.
8. Worrying. Give yourself a break from worrying. The truth is, worry is a waste of time: It saps your energy, and it doesn’t make anything better.  Quote: 
9. Change up the scenery. Take a drive, leave town, fly somewhere new. Give yourself a chance to explore your surroundings and yourself.
10. Remove yourself from negative people. Even if it means those you love–you can always re-engage tomorrow.

I Stand For Taking A Break Whenever You Want, I stand for taking a sabbatical to experience life. I also stand for: 

• Calm, compassionate & confident
• Slowing down to accomplish more
• Start before your feel ready
• *Give yourself the sign (look for signs)
• Take Imperfect Action (imperfection is perfection) 
• Uncertainty is the only true certainty 
• Making money should be a byproduct of what you love to do 
• Making fast decisions 
• Simple wins 
• First step is to make a firm decision, 2nd step is to believe your decision, 3rd step is to take action, 
• Fun is a priority 
• Attending to all non-negotiables before work

Stand Against: 

• Having to be loud or aggressive to be compassionate & confident
• Hustling & burnout
• Waiting until everything is perfect 
• Making more money (doing something you don’t love) 
• Making millions and can’t sleep at night

Announcement: to take a summer break for the podcast and complete new freebie.

Guest featured in this episode:

Fabienne Fredrickson is a beloved mentor to thousands of women in business. As founder of The Leveraged Business program, Fabienne has reverse-engineered how she scaled her business to several million annually, while remaining powerfully feminine.

Her book, The Leveraged Business: How You Can Go From Overwhelmed at 6-Figures to 7-Figures (and Get Your Life Back) is the definitive roadmap showing women how to increase their income and impact with heart. Find her at Boldheart.com.

Things you will learn in this episode:

• How specifically can we each have it “all”, whatever “all” means to each of us?
• Is it possible to make twice as much as you’re making now, but working half the time?
• Why does willpower never work long term and instead, what is it that creates lasting change?
• Millionaire Mompreneur: Valuable secrets from a multi-7-figure a year entrepreneur with 3 kids
• Female leadership in unwritten times: How feminine strength is needed now more than ever
• Become a Money Magnet in any economy, while working half the time
• How to get out of your own way: Powerful mindset shifts that produce immediate results
• And so much more…

Guest featured in this episode:

Nancy Pickard is a Certified Integrative Coach through The Ford Institute for Transformational Training and the Levin Life Coach Academy. She is certified as a Breakthrough Shadow Coach, Empowered Parent Coach, Courage Coach, Healing Your Heart Coach, Leadership Coach, Holistic Lifestyle Coach and Bigger Better Braver Coaching. She is the author of the international best seller, Bigger Better Braver: Conquer your Fears, Embrace your Courage, Transform your Life. Prior to her work as a coach, she owned and operated a personal training gym called Tight Ends Inc. She knows what it takes to help people achieve big goals. She holds multiple personal training certifications and has focused on health and wellness for almost 20 years. Her path towards coaching was a natural evolution—she has a BS in Psychology and an MS in Education.

In 2017, she traveled alone in Thailand and Vietnam and undertook her biggest challenge, climbing Kilimanjaro at the age of 61. Coaching others to step out of fear and into bigger versions of themselves is her passion.

She is the mother of two grown sons and an active grandmother to three beautiful granddaughters and a one-year old grandson. She is an avid hiker, biker, skier and yogi. She is passionate about her four-year-old Australian Labradoodle, Bliss.

Things you will learn in this episode:

• What started her on the path to living bigger, better and braver?

• How does someone move beyond their fears?

• What are shadow beliefs?

• How to use fear as a driving force for change?

• How to get out of autopilot?

• How to set healthy boundaries ?

• And so much more…

Guest featured in this episode:

Sheryl Anjanette is an author (The Imposter Lies Within) podcast host, international speaker, thought leader and trainer on the topics of Imposter Syndrome, Burnout and Peak Performance.  
As a natural extension of her 30-year career as an entrepreneur and marketing and communications executive and her wellness practice with advanced certifications in Integrative Hypnotherapy, Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP), Cognitive Behavioral Neuroscience, Clinical Stress, Anxiety and Emotional Regulation, Strategy and Human Performance Improvement, Sheryl has dedicated her business to helping individuals and organizations overcome the debilitating effects of imposter syndrome.

You can tune into her podcast, Pause, Leap, Bounce, find her live on Clubhouse in the Inside Out Club every Thursday at 2p EST, and engage with her through social media @sherylanjanette. Her company, Anjanette Wellness Inc. offers online learning, one-to-one programs, on-site training, and speaking for high-performing and high-profile individuals, organizations, business leaders and teams.

Things you will learn in this episode:

• Why does overcoming imposter syndrome matter?
• The 7 archetypes as a framework for imposter syndrome
• What does the inner child have to do with imposter syndrome?
• Why do we self-sabotage?
• Some of the myths about imposter syndrome
• Is imposter syndrome something “everyone has” ?
• And so much more…