The world has become a never-ending hustle and bustle of activities. The 24/7 society has led to people becoming more exhausted, stressed, and disconnected from their natural surroundings. In the wake of the COVID pandemic, we have noticed a marked slowdown in the pace of our lives that helped a bit to simplify our fast-paced lifestyle. One of the most profound changes has been a slower pace of life that is being embraced by many consumers. We have entered a new era of “slow living.”
What is Slow Living?
"Slow living is a lifestyle that emphasizes simplicity, mindfulness, and an appreciation of the natural world." Slow living is a philosophy that focuses on the importance of minimizing one’s environmental impact. The term was first coined by Jackie Jarvis in his book "In Pursuit of Slow".
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What is the Slow Living Movement?
The slow living movement is not about deprivation or poverty. It's about making deliberate choices about how we spend our time, energy, and money so that we can enjoy the things that bring us joy and peace in life. Both, slow living and minimalism are active and growing movements.
Meditation videos are a new trend in the world of self-care. From time to time, people need to take a step back from their lives and take care of themselves. These videos are an excellent way for individuals to unwind, decompress, and get in touch with their inner selves. Content creators often use these videos as an opportunity to teach viewers about different slow living techniques.
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This trend of "slow living" has been growing exponentially on YouTube along with the idea of living simply and minimalistically. It appears that many have taken up hobbies and explored interests that were previously considered too time-consuming. Often, these videos are long and feature relaxing music. In some cases, videos are even silent. There is a meditative quality to the videos because of the gentle pace. The attention creators and viewers pay to details is what gives meaning to their work. The actions seem focused and deliberate.
Here are a few examples of slow living videos on YouTube
1) Liziqi 李子柒
With more people finding themselves with time on their hands, the "Maker Movement" is expanding to different industries. DIY posts are becoming popular on blogs, websites, and social media. Many of the posts are focused on tasks and hobbies, like gardening, upcycling furniture, and making a proper cup of coffee.
Slow Living Benefits Individuals
Many people are living a fast-paced lifestyle, always on the go and never taking time to relax. This constant movement can take a toll on an individual’s health and well-being. A slow lifestyle offers many benefits to individuals, such as slowing downtime, improving overall health, and reducing stress levels.
The benefits of slow living are limitless. It could be as simple as solving mental health problems like anxiety and depression. It could also be more impactful like improving relationships, family life, or even creativity or productivity at work.
A slow life gives us the freedom to put ourselves first and appreciate what we have, instead of always focusing on what we don't have. It forces us to find our own way and be content with it, rather than constantly trying to keep up with everyone else's lifestyle choices or societal expectations. Slow living is the act of taking time out of our day for ourselves, putting our children first, investing in ourselves, and having more control over our environment. Taking time to slow down will help us to appreciate the little things that are often overlooked during busy days.
Additionally, slow living benefits well-being, health, happiness, fitness, creativity, and more importantly allows us to spend quality time with loved ones.
What makes slow living appealing?
Escapism, aspiration, and achievement
Aspiration and escapism: There may not be gardens or coffee machines in everyone's homes, but watching this content lets us escape into a different mindset and world.
Achievement: Once the viewers have completed these activities and followed the video instructions, they experience a sense of accomplishment. Moreover, when we feel in control of our tasks, despite so much uncertainty around us, it gives us a sense of satisfaction.
Concluding thoughts on slow living consumer trend
The interests and hobbies of these individuals relate to a nostalgic lifestyle, an attempt to relive "the good old days". It is funny how digital culture is able to tap into nostalgia for analog times.
The trend of slowing down and doing things at a more leisurely pace is not new to history. It has been in the past and we can see it today. The slow living trend is not just about the way people live their lives, but also how they consume products. Slow living can be seen as a reaction to the fast-paced society that most of us live in today. By adopting this lifestyle, consumers are able to take back control of their lives and enjoy things at a slower pace.
As more people adopt this way of life, brands are starting to take notice and are beginning to offer products that align with these beliefs.
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