How to embrace slow living in a busy city in 2025

How to embrace slow living in a busy city in 2025 (Photo: iStock)

Videos, texts, and images that promote simple living have become the norm. Many people online have expressed their desire to leave behind the hustle and bustle of Nairobi city and relocate to “slow” places like the coastal towns and the countryside. What is this all about?

Yutori is a Japanese word meaning the intentional act of slowing down to relish the world around you without a specific thing to look at. Slow living has become a popular phenomenon in recent years with many YouTube channels, Instagram, and web magazines raving about it.

YouTube channels Fairyland Cottage, Seeking Slow, The Cottage Fairy, Little House on the Mountain, Jonna Jinton, and popular Korean channels Haegreendal and Sueddu. These channels capture the sounds of nature and everyday activities like pouring tea into a cup. Some creatives only show you the action without uttering a word, while others talk in soothing voices that emphasise the whole idea of slow, calm living. 

You don’t have to live in the woods for you to get into the slow-living lifestyle. You can start at any moment, no matter where you live, even in a busy city. Here are some of the ways you can go about it.

Prioritise self-care

Slow living in itself is an act of self-care, and vice versa. Think about your needs and what to do to rejuvenate. Create some time every day to do the things that you love.

It could be immersing yourself in easy things like journaling, doing a puzzle, making a smoothie, taking a nap, or snacking on a chocolate. When you take a moment to recharge, you are basically proving to yourself that you can stop and smell the rose.

Simplify your life

Be clear on your priorities on what matters to you and reduce distractions like social media for an easy, calm life. Plan your tasks ahead of time to give you more room to complete them without any rush.

Adopt a minimalistic lifestyle by decluttering, recycling, and being more mindful when shopping.

Make things exciting

Introduce pleasurable activities when taking on necessary, albeit tedious, duties. You can watch videos about the task you are doing to stimulate motivation. Get on a phone call with a friend as you clean the dishes. Set a timer to accomplish tasks faster. Listen to a calming podcast while in traffic. Find ways to include the things that give you joy with what you find uninteresting.

Live in the moment 

In a world that has encouraged rushing to meet certain expectations, pausing every so often increases energy levels and productivity and boosts your mental health.

Try to be present in your everyday life, like journaling as you savour your cup of tea or coffee. Other suggestions are dedicating time every day for intentional deep breathing, doing yoga, and having a picnic in nature.

The more frequently you practice mindfulness, the easier it gets at some point.

Set up a daily routine 

Make a routine to support your purpose, needs, and well-being. Morning routines help to set the tone for the day, while evening routines give clarity and revitalization.

Wake up earlier than usual to have the time to incorporate your morning rituals. Some ideas can include reciting affirmations, meditating, making the bed, opening the windows for fresh air, and listing a priority list for the day.

You can end your day by reading a chapter in a book, preparing outfits for the next day, and writing in a gratitude journal.

Set boundaries

Creating boundaries ensures that you have the time and strength to do the things that matter the most to you. It is about knowing and honouring your physical and emotional limits to avoid overcommitting.

Although saying no doesn’t come naturally to many people, learn to ease into it until you get good at it.

Make your home your sanctuary

Your home needs to be your sanctuary. When you want a relaxing and quiet feel, you can then count on your place to provide that effortlessly. Essentially, it is where you spend most of your time aside from your workplace.

Keep your space clutter-free by cleaning up as you go from one room to the next, decluttering every few months, and finding ‘little homes’ for the items to prevent things from being all over.

Invite comfort into your space by burning your signature scented candle or scent sticks, diffusing essential oils, keeping houseplants, and adding soft lighting.