december2021 - 28

THE LEADERSHIP ADVISOR
COVID-19 Taught Us the
Importance of Slowing Down
IF COVID HAS taught us anything, it's that maybe we don't need to be as busy as before.
Pre-pandemic, there were always too many things to do, too many clients to see, and never
enough time in the day. Finding work-life harmony seemed to be a constant struggle.
Once lockdown happened, time
slowed down, and routines changed.
Suddenly large chunks of the day were
no longer taken up by commuting
or nonessential meetings. With the
shutdown came a sense of flexibility
that was not there before.
As time passes, many people
find they enjoy the slower pace and
don't want it to change. Whether you
are still remote or back in the office,
professional working life as we know
it has been permanently altered;
embrace this change and slow down.
The newfound slow pace may not
always be easy to maintain, but continuing
to do so will lead to a greater
appreciation for life and a greater level
of happiness.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO
SLOW DOWN
To slow down means to change your
pace. The first area in your life that
may need a change is your schedule.
Does your current schedule meet your
needs, or is it leaving you frazzled and
frustrated? Are you making time to
enjoy the little things, like savoring
your cup of coffee in the morning or
disconnecting from your devices for a
couple of hours? Or do you have backto-back
meetings for the next week?
Slowing down can also mean
slowing down your work process and
practicing " single-tasking " -focusing
on one task rather than switching
between unrelated tasks. Instead of
talking to a client on the phone while
reading a finance report, take the time
to complete one task before beginning
another.
There are many ways to slow
down; you just have to find the right
methods for you. Here are three
simple and effective ways to maintain
your newly established slow pace.
SCHEDULE 'DO-NOTHING'
TIME
Having flexibility in your schedule
allows you to shape your life in a
way that works for you. Instead of
having meetings every day, you can
block out a day or an afternoon for
deep work with no interruptions.
Or, you can schedule a time to do
nothing.
As busy accountants, we need to
take the time to do nothing. It allows
your mind to relax and unwind. It
also enables you to tune into and
concentrate on your thoughts and
feelings, lessening feelings of daily
stress and anxiety.
FILL YOUR TIME WITH
NEW EXPERIENCES
AND BREAK UP OLD
ROUTINES
Nothing makes the weeks and
months go by faster than doing
AMY VETTER, CPA.CITP, CGMA
Mindful Technologist &
Keynote Speaker
@AmyVetterCPA
the same thing every day. Changes
in daily routines provide you with
anchors to retrieve from your memory;
without them, life becomes one
timeless sequence of events.
The key to slowing down time is to
fill your day with new experiences to
form different memory anchors. You
can do things like learning a new skill,
embracing new ventures, or traveling
to a place where you've never been.
Simply do something different.
DISCONNECT TO
CONNECT
Always being connected has its
downfalls. The constant emails,
text notifications, and internet
temptations easily disrupt your
focus and concentration. Always
" being on " affects many things in
life, including stress levels, workload,
and relationships.
We are so plugged in, how can we
essentially-pull the plug? You can
do things like turn off your phone
and put it out of sight when meeting
with someone else or close your web
browser, emails, and notifications so
you can't check social media or other
distracting websites while focusing
on a task. Basically, set up temporary
electronic walls.
COVID-19 taught us the importance
of slowing down and appreciating
the little things; let's hope that
outcome is here to stay. ■
28 DECEMBER 2021 ■ www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com
http://www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com
december2021

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