“Not only are bloggers suckers for the remarkable, so are the

I've recently returned from holiday in the Caribbean and the phrase 'rush slowly' was mentioned several times.

The oxymoron perfectly captures a vital lesson about balancing the pace of modern life with the necessity of relaxation, a philosophy that is deeply ingrained in the local culture and one that offers a refreshing antidote to our often frantic lifestyles.

Beyond the beauty of the Caribbean islands I visited, there is a unique rhythm to to life there, encapsulated in the phrase 'rushing slowly.'

It's a philosophy I've definitely adopted since I got back home and these have been my top three takeaways:

1) Prioritise mindfulness. I've downloaded the Headspace app and I listen to it without fail every morning. It sets me up for the day and puts me in the right frame of mind for calmness and focus.

2) Do one thing at a time. It sounds obvious but I'm terrible for multitasking and it ends up using a huge amount of brain power and can lead to more stress and lower quality of work in the long run.

3) Set intentional pauses into your day. I give myself time within the day where I switch my phone to silent, shut off my laptop and just give myself permission to read and leave work behind for a while.

Adopting 'rushing slowly' doesn't require moving to the Caribbean; it can start right where you are. It's small changes that can make the big difference.