Shift your focus
Slowing down doesn’t mean disconnecting from the outside world at all. You need to give your mind space to create ideas and make new connections. For example, go for a walk, but go slower than usual. Read a book, but give yourself permission to linger on certain words and thoughts.
Learn to use different types of attention and try switching from maximum concentration to a calmer mindful wave that allows you to generate energy and think creatively.
Stretch out deadlines
One of the biggest problems with normal productivity is the abundance of deadlines that quickly follow one another. This puts unnecessary pressure and is bad for the quality of work.
If at all possible, try to set deadlines strongly in advance and more sensibly set shorter deadlines. Think ahead of time about how you will manage stress and delegate tasks when problems suddenly arise that need to be dealt with urgently.
Prioritise
“Slow” productivity relies on the ability to put unimportant tasks on hold and focus on the important ones now. If a five-minute to-do carries the same weight as a major project in your work system, something is wrong.
Try to be realistic about your to-do list and don’t add importance to unnecessary tasks. When everything needs to be done urgently, the very notion of urgency is erased and you overload yourself with small tasks.
Automate processes
Treat “slow” productivity not as an opportunity to work less, but as an opportunity to work smarter. Try to automate the tasks that you do regularly, for example with special software. This will free up space and time for “slow” productivity.
You may think, “That sounds cool, but I don’t have time to slow down.” It isn’t. You don’t have time to not slow down. Statistically, 42% of office workers experience burnout worldwide. “Fast” productivity not only affects the quality of your work, but also your physical and mental health.
