Could “Wasting Time” Actually Be the Best Thing You Do Today?

How choosing the slow, simple path helps you clear mental clutter and reconnect with yourself.

Hi, Hi, Hi, Hello!

I have a cat water fountain in my office. When it needs to be filled, I grab a small cup from the bathroom, fill it with water, and walk back into the office to pour it into the fountain. It takes three or four trips before it’s full again.

I know I could make this easier. I could get a bigger cup. I could just unplug the damn fountain, carry it into the bathroom, and be done in one trip. Easy, efficient, quick. But I don’t. And the reason is simple: I actually enjoy the slower process.

Something about making those repeat trips feels grounding and soothing. It’s simple. It’s quiet. It gives me a chance to pause. It’s rhythmic. It’s methodical. It’s a tiny pocket of calm in my day.

And the more I think about it, the more I realize how much this tiny, ordinary thing reflects a bigger truth: sometimes, it’s not about doing things the quickest way. Sometimes the most soulful path is the one that takes its time.

We live in a world that constantly tells us to go faster, do more, optimize everything. But there’s a different kind of peace that comes when we allow ourselves to move slowly, intentionally, step by step. Even if it takes “longer,” it often feels lighter.

When you take the slow route, you give yourself space to breathe. You let your brain stop racing long enough to catch up with itself. That’s often when the noise clears and clarity has a chance to come through.

I’ve had some of my best ideas or “aha” moments during the simplest, slowest tasks, things like washing dishes, folding laundry, or even refilling a cat fountain one cup at a time.

So here’s a question for you: Where in your life do you rush through things that could actually be soothing if you slowed down? Think about one everyday task, watering plants, stirring your morning coffee, even brushing your hair, that you normally speed through. What might change if you allowed yourself to take it step by step instead of racing to the finish?

Here’s my gentle challenge for you this week: pick one ordinary task and do it the slow way on purpose. Notice how your body feels when you take your time. Notice how your mind shifts when you aren’t forcing yourself to be efficient.

You might be surprised at the clarity, peace, or even inspiration that bubbles up when you let yourself move with intention instead of urgency.

Slowness isn’t wasted time, it’s often the exact thing that brings us back to ourselves.

Remember, You Are Worthy and You Are Loved!

Cheryl