“Take your time” is what I say when a client is running late. It sounds counterintuitive because they’re running late, so they should hurry. But by saying take your time, they do, and the pressure is off.
We live in a constant state of hurry. From one thing to another on the to-do list, to and from work, to get dinner on the table, or to get the kids ready for bed. We live on a schedule, often somebody else’s, rinse and repeat. Living in a low state of hurry creates an undercurrent of stress. That stress, combined with life’s daily stresses, fills our stress bucket.
It’s not a stretch to think one thing could push you over the edge.
Saying “take your time” almost sounds like an act of rebellion. Let’s explore how taking your time can save you time and enhance your health.
Take Your Time Story
Being a freelance writer means deadlines, self-imposed and imposed. Giving myself enough time to meet deadlines is ideal, but sometimes that doesn’t happen. Here comes my hurry. Hurrying and writing are like oil and water. I make mistakes, angry emails hit my inbox, and then I spend more time correcting them.
Then no time is saved.
Writing well is everything. When quality suffers, so does the wallet. What I needed was a reality check, and it came from Muscle & Fitness editor-in-chief Jeff Tomko.
He replied to an article with something along the lines of “ Shane, you’re a good writer. But what’s your hurry? Please take your time.” Before that, I’d edit the article for grammar, then send it in. I never let it sit. Never looked at it with fresh eyes.
But after my reality check, that changed. The quality of my writing has since improved by doing one simple thing.
Take Your Time Examples
There is a place for hurry, but also for not hurrying. Here are some examples to help you improve your health and save you time.
Eating
It takes 15-20 minutes for you to realize you’re full. When was the last time you took 15 minutes to eat a meal? Being in a low state of hurry means eating too fast and overlooking the message the stomach sends to the brain. Slowing down by chewing your food, putting your fork down between bites, or enjoying the taste and texture of every bite means you won’t overeat. That reduces the uncomfortable bloating from overeating and helps you lose or maintain your weight more easily.
Getting Out The Door
My retired wife often hurries out the door to go shopping or to her volunteer job. Then the time she thinks she saved by hurrying is offset by the time she spends getting the things she forgot. Allowing yourself more time than you need, then taking your time to get everything you need before leaving, saves unnecessary stress and reduces your constant state of hurry. You could say the same of your work commute and your daily chores.
Every bit of stress reduction helps your health and your sanity.
Lifting Weights
There’s a time to lift weights fast, but most of the time it pays to take your time. Why? People often hurry because they want to get it over with or because they don’t like a particular exercise. That hurrying causes form issues, which may lead to unnecessary soreness or injury. That’s bad for your health. But lifting with control allows you to keep the working muscle under tension longer, increasing your chances of gains while reducing your risk of injury.
Doesn’t that sound like a win-win?
Result Expectations
We exercise for results. When we don’t get them on our timelines, it creates stress and anxiety. Usually, I see this go two ways.
1. Quitting
2. Doing something drastic.
Neither is good for our health. Exercise is vital to our health and well-being, so quitting is never a good idea. Doing something drastic entails either exercising harder, cutting calories, or both. In the short term, this may work, but in the long term, your body will rebel.
Your result expectation shouldn’t change. It’s great to have health and fitness goals, as they ensure consistency. But with something as complicated as the human body, it pays to take your time.
Technology
What’s the first thing you do after your morning duties? Turn on the phone, TV, or computer? Check your email, the news, or the weather? That’s what I call letting the world in. The world isn’t going anywhere because it’s coming full throttle. It’s unavoidable. But I’m asking you to delay it by taking your time to turn on your devices and get into your day before letting the world in. It’s doing wonders for my mental health. It might do wonders for yours.
Wrapping Up
I will continue to tell people to take their time, even when they’re in a hurry. There’s no need for me to add extra stress on top of exercise-related stress. The same goes for you. There’s no need to add extra stress when you already have an undercurrent of stress. Take your time, reduce your stress, and improve your health.
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