By HTE Founder, Erin Hughes.
If I had a dollar for every time someone from my parents’ generation told me to “stop and smell the roses,” I’d have enough cash to book myself into a wellness retreat (where I’d probably spend the first two days just trying to switch off).
I get it. Life moves fast. Kids grow up in the blink of an eye. One day you’re wiping mashed banana off the walls, and the next, you’re the one dishing out nostalgic advice. But when you’re in it – juggling work, kids, school WhatsApp groups, birthday parties, relationship stuff, family time, personal time (what even is that?), being told to slow down doesn’t feel helpful. If anything, it just adds to the pressure.
“I often think, surely there must be a minute in the day to just stop and take it all in. But somehow, minutes turn into hours, hours into days, and before you know it, you still haven’t found those few moments to pause and reflect.”
And when you really think about it, how busy can we all actually be? Surely carving out a tiny pocket of time for this shouldn’t be so impossible? Yet, for some people, it seems second nature – something they’ve built into their daily routine, like meditation. A learned habit that takes practice, discipline, and consistency to truly commit to.
I know this is something I want to prioritise, something I need to be intentional about. But for whatever reason, slowing down and sitting in stillness feels incredibly hard for me. I think it’s a combination of the way I’ve always been, my responsibilities since becoming a Mum, and even just my personality. Staying busy, staying ahead, always planning the next thing – it’s become my default mode since becoming a mum. And honestly? I’m not even sure I’d know how to switch it off, even if I tried.
Why Is It So Hard to Slow Down?
I don’t think I’m alone in this. So many of us live in a state of constant on. Our brains are overloaded with information, notifications, and expectations. Social media makes it worse. Everyone’s doing something, achieving something, posting about something. No wonder we struggle to just be.
The truth is, I find a fast-paced life easier to manage than a slow one. But the downside? You miss things. And I don’t want to look back in 20 years and realise I was so busy keeping up with life that I forgot to actually live it.
How I’m Trying to Hit Pause (Without Losing My Mind)
I know I need to make changes—small ones, realistic ones. So here’s what I’m working on:
- Writing achievable to-do lists (instead of setting myself up for failure).
- Not cramming something into every available minute.
- Scheduling downtime like it’s a non-negotiable appointment.
- Learning to meditate (or at least sit still for five minutes without checking my phone).
- Saying no to things I don’t actually have the capacity for.
- Not forcing plans just to fill gaps in the schedule.
- Setting boundaries around work, family, and personal time.
- Turning off notifications and putting my phone on ‘Do Not Disturb’.
- Leaving my phone at home when I go for a walk.
- Seeing a counsellor to help with strategies.
- Moving my body daily in a way that feels good.
- Letting go of the guilt around slowing down.
- Laughing more, stressing less.
- Making time for things I actually enjoy (alone, with my husband, with the kids).
I’m not expecting to nail this overnight. Slowing down is a skill, and like any skill, it takes practice. But if I don’t start now, I know I’ll be the one telling my kids to stop and smell the roses one day… while wondering why I never did.
