The Power of Slowing Down – Self-care as an Act of Resistance

Katariina Malkamäki
Feb 29, 2024
3 min read

Updated: Mar 2, 2024

The constant pursuit of productivity and efficiency is highly glorified in our society and taking a moment to slow down and embrace rest can be a revolutionary act. The conscious decision to engage less with the demand for efficiency is not just a form of self-care – it's a political act, an act of liberating our minds from the capitalistic ideologies that have long equated human value with output and efficiency.

Through this blog post, I invite you to reconsider the power of slowing down as a form of resistance, challenging the deeply ingrained beliefs that equate constant business and doing with being valuable. This reevaluation will allow us to imagine a world which prioritises well-being, equity, diversity, and environmental health over constant economic growth. Through this we also start to questions the supremacy of profit, efficiency, and productivity as the primary measures of value.

A woman sitting on a rock in Scandinavia

The strive for Efficiency has Deep Roots in History

Our society's obsession with efficiency has roots in capitalism, colonial exploitation (which to this day continues to show up as racism towards BIPOC people), and the industrial revolution. This legacy, characterised by the relentless need for productivity and the commodification of both humans and nature, has taught us to measure our worth by our output. This concept continues to permeate our culture today.

Today, this history shows up as a culture that glorifies overwork, demands constant connectivity, and has blurred the line between personal and professional life. It makes us see our self-worth through our career. This drive for efficiency extends to every aspect of our lives, turning free time into just another avenue for improvement and leaving little room for genuine connection and reflection.

Mindfulness as a Tool for a Slower Paced Life

The never ending cycle of productivity takes a toll on us, having resulted in rising rates of burnout, anxiety, and feelings of loneliness. The commodification of rest, (made into another set of tasks to succeed in), further cements the ideals of efficiency into our minds, perpetuating a cycle of consumption and exhaustion.

Slowing down and seeing rest as a radical act, allows us to oppose a culture that measures human worth in terms of productivity.

Yoga and different mindfulness practices can be great tools to deal with this. Rooted in the idea of bringing harmony into body, mind, and spirit, Yoga can offer a break from these pressures. These practices invite us to step away from productivity and rediscover the simple bliss of being. At it’s best a Yoga practice can serve as a tool to counter the internalised narratives of constant efficiency and offer a path to genuine self-awareness and peace.

Self-Care as Political Resistance

Viewing self-care as a political act of resistance challenges capitalistic values that demand our constant productivity. It's about reclaiming our time and energy, emphasising community, solidarity, and connection to self, nurturing our well-being, and promoting collective resilience against the commodification of our existence.

To effectively slow down and challenge societal pressures, consider adopting daily mindfulness or yoga practices, scheduling regular rest and reflective time, spending time outdoors and educating yourself on how capitalistic values have shaped work ethics and productivity norms.

The Power of Slowing Down

Slowing down and seeing rest as a radical act, allows us to oppose a culture that measures human worth in terms of productivity. Embracing mindfulness and self-care can serve as great tools that contribute to a shift towards a more equitable and compassionate world. This journey towards disentangling ourselves from capitalistic mentalities is a step towards personal peace and a broader societal shift. There is massive power in slowing down and in it we find the deeper essence of living.