Many leaders and managers that I work with feel caught in an endless cycle of busyness, believing that the faster they move and the more they accomplish, the better the results will be.
However, this constant hustle often comes at a cost: missed opportunities for deeper thinking, thoughtful problem-solving, and a sense of clarity. Not to mention the stress and anxiety of constant busy-ness. It might feel counter intuitive, but the truth is that slowing down can actually help you achieve more – and with greater impact.
Why “busy” isn’t always effective
The pressure to be busy often leads to cognitive overload, where the brain is so focused on task completion that it can’t make the neural connections needed for creativity and intuition. When you’re rushing from one thing to the next, your brain operates at half capacity, missing out on the quiet, inner knowing that many call gut instinct. This intuition is critical for effective decision-making, creative thinking, and strategy development, but it only becomes accessible when you create space for it to surface.
As one leader put it, ‘Being bored, not busy, allows our brain to keep making neural connections, which is great for problem-solving and creative thinking. When we’re rushing about, there’s no room for those connections to be made.’
Practical strategies to slow down
Slowing down doesn’t mean abandoning your responsibilities or taking days off – it’s about carving out small, deliberate moments in your day to pause, reflect, and refocus. Here are some strategies to help:
- Create micro-moments of stillness: Even five minutes of intentional quiet can make a difference. Take a step back, breathe, and notice how you feel before and after. These micro-breaks can help rewire your brain to associate slowing down with better performance and clarity.
- Use silence to deepen thinking: When faced with a challenge, give yourself the gift of silence. Ask yourself, ‘What else?’ a couple of times. Often, the first answers are surface-level thoughts you’ve had before. Leaving space for deeper reflection can uncover fresh insights.
- Re-evaluate your to-do list: Slowing down forces you to prioritise. Look at your tasks and identify what truly matters. Are there things you’ve said yes to by habit rather than intention? Letting go of less important tasks can free up mental space for higher-value work.
- Engage in immersive activities: If sitting still feels impossible, find an activity that fully engages your attention. Whether it’s gardening, doing a challenging jigsaw puzzle, or even a walk-and-talk session, immersive activities can help quiet the noise of your busy mind and create room for new connections.
- Reflect and iterate: We’re all different in terms of the strategies that help us to slow down. Make a habit of reflecting on how these small changes make you feel. What methods of slowing down helped you focus or come up with better ideas?
The ripple effect of slowing down
Slowing down doesn’t just enhance your performance; it also positively impacts those around you. By modelling the value of thoughtful, deliberate work, you create a working culture where others feel empowered to do the same.
By going slower, you gain clarity, improve your decision-making, and help your team to deliver better results – all while feeling less overwhelmed.
Start small. Find five minutes today to pause, breathe, and ask yourself, ‘What else?’
The journey to slowing down may feel counterintuitive at first, but the rewards – for you and your team – will be worth it.
This blog was inspired by Episode 20 of Juliet and Lucy’s Quiet Leadership Revolution podcast – for leaders who want to deliver brilliant results. Listen here.