Slow living is the practice of slowing down and appreciating life for what it is. It is living in the moment, spending time in nature, and intentionally saying no to some of the hustle and bustle of the world. Slow living is not buying a bunch of trendy “sustainable” products, or just not doing anything at all. It is about working with what you’ve been given and deliberately slowing your life down to enjoy the journey instead of racing to the next thing. 

Slow living doesn’t come naturally to me, I have always loved to be busy, social, and productive. When I started dating my now husband (a famed introvert), he encouraged me not to make plans and to just enjoy a slow Saturday, which was quite the challenge at first. From that time on I realized that having parts of my life remain unscheduled and open allows me actually to embrace and enjoy each season. 

The Many Benefits of Slow Living

Slowing down is incredibly transformative. I have benefited from slow living in so many ways including:

Less stress

Saying no to some things and allowing myself to do less is resulting in a lot less stress. Of course I still need to get things done and stress happens, but now I feel like I have more bandwidth to deal with difficult things when they come up because I’m taking better care of myself. 

Happiness

Less stress means I’m much happier. I no longer spend all my free time mindlessly consuming content on the internet or filling my calendar with events so I don’t have any free time. Now that my life has slowed down a bit, I can enjoy walking around my yard barefoot for a few minutes or kneading bread in meditative silence. This slower pace has made all parts of my life happier. 

Less overwhelmed 

This one is simple: when you do less, you feel less overwhelmed. It’s hard to say no, but taking some things off your plate to make space for actually living life is worth it!

More in tune with the seasons/nature 

Once I began to slow down, I started to notice the seasons and the changes of nature around me. I used to dislike winter, but now I enjoy the dark evenings and the low angle of the sun. I like making warm drinks at night and watching the birds from my window. These are things I never took the time to relish before because I was always looking to the next season. 

Increase in creativity 

Now that I’m happier, less stressed, and more in tune with nature, a boost in creativity was a natural result. I’m starting to see the world through new eyes and appreciate colors, sounds, and textures in new ways.

Increase in productivity 

As you can imagine, all of these positive changes have made me a more productive person. Whether I’m writing, shooting photographs, or just cleaning my house, I am more present in the work I’m doing! 

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Practices of slow living 

There are many ways to embrace a slow, intentional lifestyle, in fact there is no right or wrong way to do it. These are a few of the ways I like to practice slow living:

Getting off technology  

In 2025 downtime without technology is not something that happens by accident. Of course technology is an incredible tool (you’re reading this on the internet, after all), but we’re all guilty of abusing it and letting it run our lives. Leaving your phone in another room to focus on one activity will help heal your increasingly short attention span and remind you that, no, you don’t need to be constantly entertained. If you watch shows every night after dinner or find yourself on YouTube after everyone else has gone to bed, you might be a little bit addicted. Here are a few ways you can spend your downtime without technology:

Saying no

This one is very hard for me and I have by no means perfected it. There are many things I need to say yes to, but I’m learning how to say no to the things that I don’t need to take on. It can be scary to feel like you’re disappointing people but having this boundary is necessary. 

Walking

Not a fast paced cardio session, or a quick listen to your favorite podcast, but a walk that’s only purpose is to walk. For example, my husband and I love to go on sunset walks most evenings and wander around our neighborhood, leaving our phones and wallets at home. I will also sometimes take a break from my computer during the day and walk around my backyard to see how the trees are changing, or forage for mushrooms. 

Romanticize Your Life

Learning to enjoy all the little moments is essential to slow living. Whether it’s cleaning the kitchen, caring for sick children, or working on the computer all day, finding ways to romanticize the otherwise dull moments of life is a free and easy way to create more joy. Check out my blog on the topic here!

Grounding

Studies have shown that the “electrically conductive contact of the human body with the surface of the Earth (grounding or earthing) produces intriguing effects on physiology and health.” One of these effects is a reduction in inflammation. Inflammation is known to cause many chronic diseases of the body, mind, and psyche. So in other words, walking barefoot outside will make you feel healthier and happier! 

Noticing nature 

Taking the time to observe nature is another amazing way to slow down. Watching the chipmunks in your backyard or looking for tiny ants in the grass all count. I really like to check out the bark and moss on trees around our yard, the patterns and colors are so cool, I could look at them for hours! I also have an entire blog on this subject, if you want to dive deeper into this kind of slow living. 

Seasonal living

Is allowing the seasons to guide your lifestyle instead of living the same way year around. This practice has helped me to be more in tune with nature and slow down because nature is not moving that fast. In February, Target might be selling easter eggs, but nature is still in hibernation. I like to cook with the foods in season and plan seasonal activities to really make the most of whatever month I find myself in. If you want to learn more about seasonal living, check out my blog on the topic!

Better not more

I couldn’t write this list without addressing the grip consumerism has on most of us. Recently, my motto has become: “better, not more” so that I am buying something once instead of constantly replacing a poorly made item. This applies to clothing, furniture, kitchen tools, and everything else you use on a regular basis. To afford this, I recommend shopping second hand or vintage. I have found the most amazing things for pennies on the dollar at garage sales, estate sales, and thrift stores. 

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Tips and resources for slow living