" What can we do to maintain slowness in the face of those periods of busyness? How can we avoid overload, exhaustion, or even burnout?
Perhaps unsurprisingly, my answer is simply to pay attention.
I recognize the way I'm inclined to stay up late, the way I will procrastinate at every option- and instead of spiraling into that overwhelming sense of too much, I check in with myself.
Why am I feeling this way? What has changed? What is there more of? What is there less of?
Become better at recognizing the signs of a looming backslide and pay close attention to the areas of our lives that have the greatest impact, ensuring they never slip too far out of hand.
Nicholas Bate refers to this regular checking in as "taking your MEDS" or more specifically, paying attention to:

- Mindfulness
- Exercise
- Diet
- Sleep

Once I recognize which of these areas has changed, its simpler (not necessarily easier) to recognize the issue and start fixing it. Sometimes the changes aren't in my control, so I need to look for ways of finding slow by creating more opportunities for a moment of deep breathing or paying close attention to whats in front of me. But other times, I've simply lost sight of what works, and its a matter of adding more of these things I've neglected- Mindfulness, simplicity, kindness- and reducing the things that don't serve me well.
Above all else, though, I simply go back to my Why.
I call to mind the foundation of this life I want. The vivid imaging of a life well lived. The loved ones, the generosity, the adventure, and the world I want to leave behind. And if that feels too big, I call to mind even smaller reminders, like the warm pressure of my kids hands in mine, the wholeness of a good conversation with Ben, the lightness of simply sitting quietly.
Our Why is the antidote to overload. Its a call back to the important things and a reminder that we don't need to carry the weight of everything- only those things that are important to us. "

― Brooke McAlary , Slow: Simple Living for a Frantic World