In today’s fast-moving world, it can feel like everything is moving too quickly. With so many digital tools at our disposal, we often wonder: Are these tools really making us faster, or just more overwhelmed? Can we keep up with the speed of modern life while still finding time to reflect, create, and connect?
Back in 1999, science historian James Gleick wrote Faster: The Acceleration of Just About Everything, highlighting how our increasing reliance on digital technology was pushing us toward an "always-on" lifestyle. Twenty-five years later, this trend has only intensified. In the world of American business, speed is still often equated with success. The ability to act swiftly, appear busy, and multitask is a hallmark of thriving in competitive environments.
Yet, the tools that were supposed to make our lives easier can also become a burden. Mastery of these tools is essential, but it’s not the full picture. At smith & beta, we not only focus on teaching digital proficiency but also emphasize the human element. Our brains, with over 200,000 years of evolution, are designed to process massive amounts of information—up to 100 terabytes of data per second. But while our brains can process data quickly, our creativity and problem-solving often thrive in moments of calm, reflection, and play.
This week, we invite you to take a step back. Slow down. Reflect on what’s working and what isn’t. What are the pain points, the gaps in your skillset, the missed connections? At the same time, take a moment to celebrate the power of your brain. Let it wander, play, and reflect on your accomplishments, big or small. By slowing down, you can better equip yourself to meet the challenges of an ever-accelerating world.
At smith & beta, our new offerings in the CULTURE category are designed to help you do just that. These classes encourage participants to slow down, reflect, reshape, and connect. As Dacher Keltner's book Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder has shown, cultivating a sense of awe and wonder is key to living and working well in a fast-moving world. Our workshops create a space for employees to step out of the daily routine, experiment in a low-risk environment, and explore both fast and slow pathways to improving their work.
In the end, slowing down can be the best way to truly speed up. By giving ourselves time to pause, reflect, and recharge, we can not only enhance our productivity but also find more meaning in our work.
