I had just jumped into a taxi on my way to Melbourne airport when the driver asked me if he should take the quickest route. Without any hesitation I answered yes and the driver set up his navigation system and got our journey under way. However, I couldn’t resist a quiet chuckle to myself about the prospect of providing the alternative answer to his question; the slowest route please!

I soon became absorbed both listening to the driver verbally disagree with his navigation system and observing him make sharp turns left and right. It was clear that the driver was experienced at this approach enabling busy junctions to be avoided and a few extra seconds to be shaved off of the journey.

We successfully arrived at the airport in what I can only assume was record breaking time. However, I wasn’t in an ideal flying condition; my head was spinning and I was feeling a little queasy. I managed to pull myself and my luggage out of the taxi and stood dishevelled on the pavement watching it drive away ready for its next speedy challenge!

Does this sound like elements of your life? Does each day feel like a race against a clock that always beats you? Well if it does you’re not alone. The world is getting faster and faster and many would say that we have evolved into a culture that has become addicted to speed.

Maybe this ‘speed’ is evident in your professional life where you are bombarded by e-mails, voicemails, constant interruptions, deadlines and requests. Or maybe you feel like you are managing to keep up with your ‘to do list’ but are ticking the box rather than delivering high quality outcomes or getting enjoyment from doing so.

Or is ‘speed’ equally prevalent in your personal life where you find yourself trying to cram more and more into every day, yet never feeling in control or fulfilled by the outcomes of your efforts?

The constant overloading of our brains through this speed of activities has been shown by Neuroscientists to rob us of our creativity and flexibility to shift course when challenges come our way. We lose our ability to see the big picture as well as our all important social skills and humour. Conversely, a relaxed mind which is not racing at high speed is capable of richer thought patterns, enhanced productivity and greater enjoyment.

So it’s not surprising then that our health, performance and the quality of our relationships have suffered as a result of living our lives at such speeds. This has served as an important reminder for me at the start of the year, a time which typically involves setting big goals and plans and finding ways to do more with less. Many of us are so ambitious with our plans that we reach burn out by mid-year and face an uphill challenge to make it to the end of the year.

Dare to be different this year by challenging the view that fast is always better. As Carl Honore says in his book, ‘In Praise of Slow’, “the secret is balance. Instead of doing everything faster, do everything at the right speed. Sometimes fast. Sometimes slow. Sometimes somewhere in between”.

To get you in the mood try sampling one of our ideas for finding enjoyment and success by slowing down or let us know one that you already enjoy. My husband and I have decided to keep one weekend a month completely free; that means no appointments, no social plans and no housework. Nothing but a wonderful oasis of slowness.

So the next time you get in a metaphorical taxi and can control the pace and route that it takes remember there are many ways to get to your destination so choose wisely on the right route for you.

Happy travelling!