Why you need a slow Sunday

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Jumping off the busy treadmill one day a week is a good idea for your health and wellbeing. Here’s why.

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In favour of slowing down

Living life in the fast lane? Join the club. Feeling busy all the time is not only a common lifestyle habit , it’s almost become a culture in its own right, so that some people even wear busy like a badge of honour .

The trouble is that by stealing your sleep and sending your stress levels soaring, being constantly busy can put a significant dent in your health .

Time to give yourself a break – literally. Doing things at a much slower pace just one day a week, by introducing “slow Sunday”, will not only allow you to unwind from a busy week, it’ll help put you in the right mindset to head into a brand new one, too.

How does slow Sunday work? The idea is that it’s a day where you get to take a break from the things that typically deliver a dose of busy to your everyday life, like rushing around, ticking things off your jam-packed to-do list, and even being constantly connected to and contactable via your devices.

Here are 5 reasons to give it a try.

1. Your mind will be sharper

With less on your plate on Sundays than other days, you’ll probably find your mind wanders more, which is good news for you. It turns out that daydreaming acts as a bit of a refresher for the brain, so that you’ll find it easier to focus once you turn your attention back to real life .

Read these tips on the art to daydreaming, though, if you want to enjoy the biggest benefit.

2. You’ll feel happier

And less stressed. When you’re not rushing, you’ll be able to do whatever you choose to do on Sundays mindfully: everything from having a shower to drinking a cup of tea and making the bed.

A technique that simply means being present and fully engaged with whatever you’re doing in the moment, free from distraction or judgement , mindfulness is scientifically proven to improve mood and stress levels .

3. You might get more done

Another perk of declaring a go-slow on Sundays means you’ll find it easier to avoid multitasking, a common response to being too busy where we feel compelled to do multiple things at once, believing that’ll help us get through our to-do lists quicker.

In fact, research shows the exact opposite is true. Multitasking makes us less productive, not more. So, having the time and head-space to tackle one task at a time on Sundays will pay off.

4. Your diet will benefit…

Too busy to cook dinner during the week? You’re not the only one – lack of time is a known barrier to making and eating home-cooked meals .

Spend some of your slow Sunday hours cooking a big batch of something that will store well in the fridge or freezer, like a soup, curry or stew, and you’ll have home-cooked meals on tap for the week ahead. It’s not only cheaper than eating out or buying takeaway, it’s healthier, too .

5. …And so will your health

And not just because you might wind up eating healthier meals throughout the week!

Being too busy and too over-scheduled takes a toll on people’s overall health and well-being in the long run . So, giving yourself one schedule-free day a week, which adds up to 52 days a year (as long as you do it week in, week out), is a smart move.