Tuning to your ideal pace, a stress-reducing soundtrack, and a breathing hack

He couldn’t get a day off. He was working 7 days a week, 14-16 hours a day. Thomas Sterner was a piano technician and his job involved tuning concert pianos. Today was even more packed than a typical day.

He parked his truck in the parking garage and picked up his toolbox. As he walked to the concert hall to tune his first piano of the day, he decided that today, he would work as slowly as he could.

It was somewhat of a rebellion against burnout.

On his first piano, he slowly unpacked his toolbox. Instead of his usual grabbing a handful of tools to save time, he took one tool at a time and laid it down neatly. He did each part of the tuning process slowly, taking his own sweet time.

This slow pace didn’t come naturally to him. His inner voice started panicking, “We’ll never get this done, you are wasting time.” It reminded him of all the work ahead.

In today’s world, working fast is easy. It’s working slowly that’s difficult.

Why?

Because it involves paying full attention to the task you’re doing.

Thomas had to make a deliberate effort to be slow, to stay present in the moment. He even had to take out his watch to avoid checking time.

Slowly, the inner madness calmed down. After he finished the first piano, he packed his tools, one by one, walked to the next piano 10 feet away, and unpacked. By the time he was working on the second piano, something amazing happened. He felt peaceful from within.

But the most astonishing realisation happened when he reached back to his truck and saw the radio clock. All this slow working and he wasn’t late. Not just that, he was early! He had cut over 40% of the time!

The logic of slowness can transform any work, whether you’re a professional, student, or homemaker.

Imagine yourself in an office setting. Instead of rushing to the next meeting, you choose to be fully present in this one. You listen to your colleague’s concerns rather than planning your next move. When it’s lunchtime, you don’t scarf down your meal to make it to the next call. You take a moment actually to read the menu and ask yourself, “Hmm…What do I feel like eating today?”

Now, think of a homemaker with a never-ending to-do list. While packing kids’ lunch, you’re already thinking about dinner. While cooking, you’re mentally organizing the house, juggling thoughts of laundry, calling your grandmother, and squeezing in time for a coffee with a friend. The day feels like a race, with one task blending into the next. But what if, instead, you slowed down?

When packing lunch, you focus on what will make the kids happy. As you organize the home, you savor the sense of order you’re creating. When meeting a friend for coffee or calling your grandmother, you’re truly present, enjoying the moment without worrying about what’s left to do.

The ideal pace of the day is the pace when you pay attention to what you’re doing. You won’t just enjoy the task at hand without worrying about what’s next, you’ll also get it done better.

Weightless by Marconi Union is a song known to reduce anxiety.

People who listen to this song experience up to 65% reduction in their anxiety.

It’s not just beneficial for those suffering from anxiety. Play it to experience the calm vibes and recharge your mind.

Try the 4-7-8 breathing technique for calming down:

• Inhale for 4 sec
• Hold for 7 sec
• Exhale for 8 sec

A longer exhale helps relax and reduce anxiety.

For increasing focus, try the 8-7-4 breathing technique:

• Inhale for 8
• Hold for 7
• Exhale for 4

A longer inhale increases alertness and focus.