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In 1370 the first public clock was erected in Cologne, Germany. Four years later, a statute was passed limiting lunch to one hour and fixed start and finish times for workers.

In 1891, the Electric Signal Clock Company advertised a clock call 'The Autocrat' which would revolutionise stragglers and behind time people.

What do you do when you open your eyes in the morning? Probably check to see what time it is.

I can see the time in four different places as I am writing this newsletter. Don't you think it is time to have some relief from this constant pressure of being 'on time'? I am not suggesting that you don't remain punctual or finish projects on time. I am suggesting that we get off the roller coaster occasionally.

Everything is getting faster and we adjust to the faster pace quite quickly. We eat on the run or drink our meals. We press lift buttons repeatedly. We cut conversations short. We invent a shorter language for email and SMS.

Try Natural Time for one day a week. Probably a weekend is preferable. Natural time is about eating when hungry, sleeping when tired, traveling at a pace that varies on what you need to do. Some tasks need to be done quickly. Some don't.

Try these on the day you choose to follow natural time:

• Wake up without an alarm and do not check the time when you wake up.
• Do not put on your watch
• Eat when you are hungry and stop when you are no longer hungry
• Chew slowly
• Walk slowly except for crossing busy roads
• Engage the people you meet in conversation
• Listen more than you talk
• Don't criticize or correct anyone
• Don't check your emails
• Turn off your mobile telephone
• Read something enjoyable, slowly
• Make your meals a chance to enjoy the food and the surroundings
• Listen to relaxing, slow music... largo is good
• If you want some exercise, try a long walk with a view
• If you need to drive, take your time and go easy on the accelerator
• Spend most of the day with people you love or at least... like

In general, treat this day as if it were a holiday in the country. You may have to do something quickly but make no effort. Let your body tell you what pace is right for this day. You can go back to 'normal' the next day.

I would really like to hear from you after you have tried this day. If you have some more ideas, I will put them in my next newsletter.

We all need to find a balance between what needs to be done quickly and what can be done carefully and slowly.

Fast is often associated with... hurried, controlling, analytical, active, impatient and quantity over quality. Slow is more in the direction of... calm, careful, patient, still, intuitive, receptive and quality over quality.

Both are important but make sure you don't lose the ability to differentiate between what needs to be done quickly and what doesn't. Many of the world's best athletes and thinkers seem to work in a calm, unhurried zone.

Remember, let me know if you have any ways of entering this zone and still achieving all you need to in a hurried world.

Hurry up and slow down.

Paddy Spruce, CSP