Slow Think Day

Every so often, I like to unplug from the constant busyness and spend a "slow think" day.

It's a day where I revisit a place from the past and reflect on my life. I think about where I was back then, where I am now, and where I want to go.

This time I visited a community center I used to frequent as a kid.

Where Was I Then?

As I retraced the steps my younger self took around the community center, my mind was flooded with nostalgia.

I remembered the skating lessons, late nights at the library, and hangouts with friends.

I also thought about my worries which, at the time, felt so serious – passing French class, wondering if a girl likes me, and feeling unsure about my career path.

If that younger self could see me now, he'd probably be amazed at all that I've achieved. It was a moment of gratitude for my wonderful journey in work and life thus far.

Where Am I Now?

I then found a quiet study area and started writing my thoughts on my current life.

Like most people, my life is busy. At any given time, I could be working, being a husband and father, seeing friends, doing chores, and more.

But the answer isn't trying to do more (I've made this mistake many times); it's actually doing less.

Since my health scare in 2021, my guiding principle in life has been focusing on my top priorities, and doing less of everything else.

In my current career chapter, I've dramatically reduced my clinical work (I'm in clinic around 8 days/month right now) to make room for my speaking career.

In recent years, I've had the privilege of delivering over 10 talks in the last year. As someone who hated public speaking, it's not something I would or even could do. It's been an absolute joy to connect with colleagues in a different way on topics I truly care about.

Where Do I Want to Go?

Finally, I reflected on where I want to go. I'm planning for a big life move which I'm excited to share in the near future. I wrote down all the pros, cons, and my worries.

When I feel stuck on a choice, I often use what Oprah calls the "traffic light test":

Imagine you make that life decision. How does that make you feel?

• A little anxious and mostly excited? That's your green light to go ahead.
• Mostly anxious and a little excited? That's your yellow. Collect more info.
• Mostly dread? That's a red.

As for the choice I'm pondering, it was a easy green light.

Try a "Slow Think" Day

When I look around, I see constant busyness everywhere. We've embraced efficient productivity as a marker of success, and taking a day off work can feel like a waste of time.

We're so busy with charging ahead that we forget to ask:

Where am I headed right now and is that really where I want to go?

I sincerely hope more busy professionals give themselves the permission to slow down and try a "slow think" day.