By | John Boitnott | Contributor at Entrepreneur.com and The Motley Fool – Ghost Writer for executives and entrepreneurs
The entrepreneurial life has no shortage of distractions, and the world feels like it’s spinning faster than ever these days. Here’s what you can do to slow it all down.
To get the most out of both business and pleasure, it’s important to find ways to slow down. No matter where you are in your entrepreneurial journey, it’s in down time that you have a chance to reflect, form new ideas, or just enjoy yourself.
You’ve probably heard stories of people who came up with successful business ideas when they slowed down and stopped thinking too hard. But on a more practical level the question is, with so many things you need to do each day to keep your business on track, how do you slow down but keep the ability to respond quickly to competitors and market conditions?
An answer you may have heard before is to simply be present and focus on each moment of your life as it comes. But, that’s much easier said than done when your phone or laptop puts the office at your fingertips.
Here are eight things you can do right away to be more present and slow down time. Each of them is sure to make you feel refreshed, and just might lead to your next big idea.
1. Take a deep breath (or 10)
Taking time to focus on breathing helps you slow down your mind and body. It’s well-documented that the practice of meditative breathing exercises helps reduce anxiety, but you don’t need to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown to reap the benefits of deep breathing. In fact, making your breathing a priority, even for just a minute or two a day, can help you clear your head, focus your thoughts and be more confident and efficient as a result. If you can, make sure you take deep breaths even while working at your laptop or on your phone.
