Do you practice downshifting?

The downshifting applies to a lifestyle that seeks voluntary simplicity, it is the art of living with less. You walk, but you want a bicycle. When you have it, you want a car. If you already have the car, you want a better one. If you have the best, you want two, and so on ad infinitum. The more we have, the more we want. We continue this trend even though we are well aware of that widespread cliché of "money does not bring happiness."

Western society reinforces elements such as competitiveness, income level, property, status, etc., as if there were always more. We have been taught that the more a person has, the happier he is, that is, the standard of living is equated with the quality of life, when in reality they are very different things. The more we earn, the more we spend, so we need to earn more, and without realizing it we end up entering a huge mouse wheel in which no matter how much we walk, we are always at the same point. But what happens when the culture of "more, more, more ..." reaches saturation?

What really is downshifting?

Downshifting an Anglo-Saxon term, coined by Tracy Smith, which means to slow down a vehicle. This term is now applied to a lifestyle that seeks voluntary simplicity, it is the art of living with less. He questions the difference between what we "want" and what we "need", which implies getting out of obsessive consumerism and addressing the stress that comes with always wanting more: more luxuries, better work, more success ... He tries to find a work-life balance, prioritizing what is necessary, enhancing emotional well-being and eliminating the accessory. It gives importance to personal and family time, and starts from the basis of: "Why do we want material success if we do not have time to enjoy it and it also costs us emotional health?" Practicing downshifting does not mean giving up work to move to a cabin, or avoiding technological advances or the evolution of the contemporary world, or making a plea for poverty. It means staying with the basics, live with less and learn to value it. Rearrange priorities. The goal is to be freer and happier. In the words of Coco Chanel, "the best things in life are free."

Who can practice it?

Anyone can practice downshifting, although there are usually two types of downshifters:

• The one who wants to be: people who voluntarily support this type of life for ideological or ethical reasons.
• The one who "should" be: people who have been losing (anxiety, stress, addictions, etc.) or emotional well-being due to wear and tear and need a radical change.

It is important to note that whoever incorporates this model of life rarely returns to the “work-earn-spend” formula.

How to practice downshifting?

• Less is more: the less things you need, the less your frustrations will be. Less pretense, less worry.
• Analyze your needs: are they real or socially imposed?
• Value what you have: get rid of what you don't need and stop wanting what you might not need.
• Stop comparing yourself to those who have more: don't compete and focus on what you really need to be happy. The most valuable thing is not things but time.
• Focus on "being", not "having." What would you like to become as a person?
• Work is not everything: it is important to get involved in your own working life, feel productive and value your own contribution to society, but work cannot be the vital pillar. It is important to prioritize other elements as well.
• Rethink your workday: can you cover the necessary expenses by working fewer hours? The 21st century requires a rethinking of what productivity really means.
• Rearrange your time: time is limited. Don't work outside of your workday, boost your free time and do things you enjoy.
• Dedicate yourself to your loved ones: family, friends, colleagues from different social circles.
• Practice the “rule of four Rs”: reduce, reuse, repair and recycle products.
• Take better care of yourself: one of the main obstacles to health prevention is lack of time. Learn to eat balanced, do physical exercise ...
• Forget the rush: if you have more time you can do things calmly, enjoying the here-now more. Slow down your pace and be more aware of each moment.
• Learn knowledge to help you be self-sufficient: home repairs, mechanics, etc.
• Cultivate new free hobbies: sports, playing an instrument ...
• Volunteer for something that makes sense to you.
• Restructure your expenses:

1.- Cancel credit cards (or reserve one for emergencies), pay daily. 2.- Keep an expense book. 3.- Pay in cash. 4.- Get started in collaborative consumption: buying and selling second-hand, time banks, exchange of books, exchanges of houses on vacation, share resources such as transport, parking, Wi-Fi, etc.

• This downshifting term is now applied to a lifestyle that seeks voluntary simplicity, it is the art of living with less.
• It gives importance to personal and family time, and starts from the basis of: "Why do we want material success if we do not have time to enjoy it and it also costs us emotional health?"
• Anyone can be a downshifter, it is about analyzing real needs, assessing what you have, stop comparing yourself, reorganize our time, restructure expenses ...

Specialist in Clinical Psychology Advance Medical Consulting Psychologist