Before you rage quit, embrace slow
By embracing slow working, you can take embodied action.
I have a lot of client conversations that start with a version of: “I have to leave my job/career. I can’t take it anymore.”
Before you rage quit, shift into slow first.
Slow is how you get clarity on the decision and you see the bridge you need to build through clear embodied action.
You wanting to just burn it down, to just be done, to rage quit your job usually comes with feeling trapped. And what’s leading to that trap feeling often isn’t fixed by just changing jobs. You gotta take time to slow down if you want the clarity.
When you embrace slow working it allows you to connect into your body as a source of wisdom so that you can reset your nervous system. When you go slow at the right moments and with guided intention, later, when you want to speed up, you can because you have accessed that inner power.
Without that, you risk jumping from one frying pan into the next. (And from what I’ve witnessed, often a less satisfying one.) I keep this quote from Abigail Rose Clarke handy as my own reminder:
“Urgency is rooted in the culture of domination and extraction. Slowing down is not an excuse for inaction, but must always be a precursor to action. If we don’t slow down, our actions will originate from the cultural paradigm we claim to be resisting.” (Returning Home to our Bodies, p. 83-84)
Slow working is about embracing a more compassionate and intentional approach to your decision making.
By doing this, you can radically shift your relationship to your career, which may lead you to stay. You learn to connect to the complexities of modern life but prioritize your personal health and empathetic interactions over mere J-O-B productivity. Or you still quit, but you’ve learned a slower pace, done the inner work, and created a strong foundation and bridge to what’s next.
Need some ideas for how to start practicing slow-working?
Embrace more connection. Schedule that meaningful coffee 1:1 with that person you want to know more. Shift that 1:1 into a walking/rolling/moving meeting.
Encourage reflection at the beginning or end of your day. I call this reflective bookends. Set aside 10 minutes to focus on your intention for the day. Then reflect on how it went and where you need to pick up the next morning.
Champion rest and regeneration. Reflect on the 7 types of rest and schedule the one you need this week.
Nurture your innate creativity in ways that feel good to you.I had a client who would start her work day with 15 minutes of watercolor painting before shifting into work meetings.
Creating sustainable practices, both for Earth and yourself. Pick one doable task to walk or bike there instead of drive.
If you’re not sure how and where to start on slow working and need some support and structure? Check out my new 6-session 1:1 coaching program, tailored to your situation in order to help you answer, “Should I stay or should I go?”