Things We Must Unlearn and Relearn to Truly Slow Down Life

This piece may get a little long but we’re not in a rush, are we? That’s the first step toward slowing down. Smile 🙂

1. Time Management Is Not About Constant Business

Let’s get this straight: time management does not mean keeping every minute packed or maintaining endless to-do lists.
True time management is about barakah (blessing) in your time doing less, doing it mindfully, doing it with excellence, and still having energy left at the end of the day.

After all, how can someone be productive while being busy all the time? Just as being lazy and glorifying procrastination is unhealthy, being constantly busy and showcasing it as a badge of honor isn’t healthy either.

2. Screen-Free? Not Realistic Let’s Learn to Live With Screens Wisely

It sounds ideal to say “go screen-free,” but is that even practical in today’s world?
The truth is: we must learn how to coexist mindfully with our screens instead of trying to escape them altogether.

3. Train Your Mind to Be Present

The Quran uses the word Hanif for Prophet Ibrahim (AS)—meaning focused and pure in direction.
Most of us, however, are so scattered that we can’t even drink water in peace. We don’t notice the color of our food, the texture, the aroma we eat distractedly.

Learning to be mindful is the key. And one powerful way is through deep breathing.

Take slow, intentional breaths instead of shallow, fast ones. Even three deep breaths before starting a task and three after finishing can reset your brain.

Whether it’s writing an email, cooking, or making a phone call:
Pause. Breathe. Begin.

4. Take Mindful Breaks

Imagine reading this entire article without any paragraphs exhausting, right? The same goes for our daily routines.
Set a 1-hour timer for any task, then take a 5-minute conscious break.

Stretch your body, fix your posture, take a few deep breaths, and look out the window.
Let your eyes rest by looking far away at a cloud, a tree, a bird.
Your brain and eyes need that reset. It’s refreshing and necessary.

5. Stop Multitasking Single-Task With Focus

Multitasking is overrated and overwhelming. It’s okay you don’t have to do everything all at once.

• Watching a drama while eating?
• Checking your phone while talking to someone?
• Juggling multiple tabs on your laptop?

You’re half-present in all those things. The human brain cannot give equal focus to two tasks simultaneously one or both will suffer.

6. Not Everything Is a Life-Or-Death Situation

Salt was too much in dinner?
Your scarf didn’t match the outfit?
Spilled curry on your off-white sofa?
Stuck in traffic?
Had a breakup?
Lost a loved one?

All of these are stressful but are they all equally stressful? Definitely not.

Ask yourself:
“Will this matter tomorrow? In a week? In a month?”
“On a scale of 1–10, how serious is this stress?”

Respond to stress proportionally, not dramatically.

7. Work-from-Home Shouldn’t Mean Working 24/7

Many women today are running businesses or teaching online from home but also staying “on call” all day long.
Just like personal matters shouldn’t interfere in office hours, office work shouldn’t consume home life.

Here’s how to fix that:

• Set up a designated workspace (even just a specific chair and desk).
• Add visual or sensory cues to switch into “work mode” a framed quote, a signature scent, calming background sounds.
• Use that space only for work.
  Your brain will associate those cues with focus and discipline.

When working:

• Take deep breaths before starting.
• After every hour, take a mindful break.
• Avoid multitasking (turn off notifications).
• Sign off when you’re done don’t stay in “work mode” all day.

In Conclusion: Pause, Reset, Simplify

Yes, the article is long. But practicing it is not.
All it takes is choosing to be mindful, a little every day.

Do less but do it well.
And whenever life feels tangled press the pause button, breathe, and reset