Beachgoers at Burleigh Heads – 1938
Think our lives are busier and more stressed out than ever? That’s what they thought in 1934 too.
In honor of the long, lazy days of summer – here is an excerpt from “The Home of To-Day”, one of my favorite vintage household guides, on the dreadful “Hurry Habit” (aka, multitasking, stress, modern lifestyle, being super woman, having it all, etc etc…)
Hurrying is an insidious vice, if we were only aware of it – one of those things that lead to a nervous breakdown as surely as taking drugs. It is death to health and good looks.
The remedy is to begin at once to see how calmly the days tasks can be undertaken. At first it may mean letting something go undone but with mistakes eliminated and an increase of organizing effort, things will come out even. Think of some special way you have of hurrying, and break yourself of it.
If you are a busy woman throughout the day, make a rule to relax for a short rest in the afternoon. Sit in the sunshine whenever you have the chance. Ten minutes of quiet under these conditions will erase the tension of several hours’ mental strain. Replace the hurry habit by the ‘hold-back’ habit, and food and sleep will then have a chance to produce a notable result.
I’m continually amazed how we all ‘know’ how to keep ourselves healthy, and have known for years and years…we just can’t seem to put it into practice! 🙂
What are you doing to avoid the ‘hurry habit’ and enjoy the summer??
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Rozenn, I totally agree! I’m just learning the art of slowing down, and trying to remind myself that more/faster/bigger isn’t always better. I’m realizing it’s a gradual slowing down process, as I discover that the world doesn’t end if I don’t finish 51 things every day 🙂
Aaah yes, the pace of life. I think if I hadn’t been stopped by M.E. I would still be trying to run the rat race. In fact, I admit to still do that but now my race is a baby race 😉
As good an advice as this extract gives, I think it really isn’t simple to know what’s too much, what’s too hurried, and to agree to stop and take a break when one could squeeze just that little bit more in their day. I think our culture is excessive on idealising achievements and it’s getting most of us to overdo it. If our culture was all about living a good quality life (and by that I do NOT mean having lots of money), perhaps we wouldn’t be such a developed country but I dare say we might live better.
Some people I know are natural pacers, readily accepting not to try to do everything, and getting the most of their life. They’re my role models!