Slow Living for Busy Working Mums: Finding Calm in the Chaos

Slow Living for Busy Working Mums: Finding Calm in the Chaos

If you’re a busy working mum, life often feels like a constant balancing act - school runs, work deadlines, inbox overflow, after-school activities, and the never-ending household to-do list. It’s easy to feel like you’re running at full speed without ever catching your breath.

This is where the slow living movement - and the more recent idea of slowmaxxing - can be life-changing. By embracing a slower, more intentional pace, you can reclaim calm, create space for what truly matters, and enjoy deeper connection with your family.

What Is the Slow Living Movement (and Slowmaxxing)?

The slow living movement is about doing less, better. It’s an intentional choice to slow down, simplify, and live in a way that feels sustainable rather than overwhelming. Instead of rushing through the day, you savour everyday rituals, reduce unnecessary noise, and focus on presence.

Slowmaxxing is a newer term that captures the same philosophy with a modern twist. It’s about resting, prioritising your energy, and making intentional lifestyle choices as an act of self-care. For mums who often put everyone else first, slowmaxxing offers permission to pause and recharge.

Why Busy Working Mums Need Slow Living

The principles of slow living bring powerful benefits for mothers balancing work, family, and home life:

• Less Stress, More Presence – Slowing down reduces overwhelm and helps you stay present for the moments that matter most.
• Deeper Connections – With fewer distractions, there’s more room for genuine connection with your children and partner.
• Energy Renewal – Even small pauses - a quiet cup of tea, a nap, or a walk - can restore energy and patience.
• Better Role Modelling – When you embrace mindful living, your children learn balance, resilience, and the value of slowing down.

What are the Principles of Slow Living

The principles of slow living aren’t about adding more to your plate - they’re about a different way of approaching life. They describe a way of being that people all over the world are embracing, and they remind us that we are part of something bigger and deeply human.

• Intentionality is at the heart of slow living. It’s about making choices that align with your values and energy, rather than simply reacting to the constant demands of the day.
• Presence means being here for the small moments - savouring your tea, listening to your child’s story, or enjoying a walk - without rushing to the next thing.
• Simplicity brings a sense of ease by letting go of excess, focusing instead on what feels meaningful and supportive. (This one often makes me think of Marie Kondo – when she says the key to decluttering is to ask “Does this item spark joy?”)
• Connection with Nature anchors us back into natural rhythms, whether that’s through a beach walk, eating seasonally, or pausing to notice the plants and the birds.
• Quality over Quantity reminds us that fewer, better experiences, relationships, and possessions often bring deeper joy.
• Rest and Renewal honour the fact that we all need downtime - moments of pause that restore energy and perspective. Rest can be as simple as diffusing lavender essential oil in the evening while you make tea, signaling to your body that it’s time to unwind and restore.
• Sustainability is about living in a way that nourishes not only us but also the planet, with choices that feel conscious and caring.
• Gratitude helps us appreciate the small and ordinary joys, shifting our focus from what’s missing to what’s already here.
• Community and Connection remind us that life feels richer when shared - through meaningful relationships, traditions, and simple togetherness.

These principles aren’t rules to follow or tasks to tick off. They’re touchstones, a framework that helps us remember what truly matters when life feels overwhelming.

How to Practice Slow Living

Here are practical ways to bring the slow living lifestyle into your day-to-day routine:

• Start with Slow Mornings
  Swap the morning scroll for a few minutes of stretching, opening the windows, or savouring a hot drink in silence.
  
  
• Savour Everyday Tasks 
  The school run doesn’t need to be a rush. Leave a few minutes earlier, walk if possible, and notice what’s around you with your kids - flowers, birds, the feel of the air. 
  
  
• Focus on being present 
  When playing with your kids, be there fully engaged not thinking about your work deadline for tomorrow. A simple ritual, like pausing to inhale the calming scent of lavender or geranium oil, can anchor you into the present moment and remind your nervous system that it’s safe to slow down.
  
  
• Make Mealtimes Sacred
  Choose at least one or two evenings a week for a “slow dinner.” Keep it simple, light a candle, and enjoy eating together at the table without rushing to the next task.
  
  
• Connect with Nature
  Nature is a core pillar of slow living. A beach walk, bush trail, or barefoot play in the garden slows the nervous system and creates grounding for the whole family.
  
  
• Create Digital Boundaries
  Set your phone to “do not disturb” for an hour in the evening. Use that time for reading, talking, playing cards with the kids or enjoying a creative hobby instead of falling on the couch in front of the TV.
  
  

• Notice Your Glimmers
  Part of embracing slow living is becoming more aware of the small, everyday moments that soothe and uplift you. These are known as glimmers - tiny moments of joy that spark a sense of calm or hope that signal to your nervous system you’re okay. It could be the smell of freshly brewed coffee, sunlight streaming through a window or the soft texture of a blanket.

  By pausing to notice these glimmers, you help shift your body out of stress mode and into a state of ease. Studies in positive psychology suggests that over time, these micro-moments of joy can improve your mood, build resilience, and bring a deeper sense of calm to your daily rhythm.

These small shifts don’t add to your to-do list, they transform what’s already there into moments of calm and joy.

My Journey Into Slow Living

For years, I juggled a senior corporate role, school pick-ups, after-school sport, work deadlines, prepping for board meetings and endless to-do lists. It felt like I was sprinting on a treadmill - always moving but never arriving.

Slow living became my lifeline. As a family, we spent hours outdoors in nature with the kids – boating, biking, bush walks, beach time, and in the last 7 years a lot of time at our rural property in Whananaki surrounded by farmland, bush, sea air and quiet. Meal times have always been important for us – when the kids were young we made an effort to have dinner at the table where mobile phones were not allowed and that tradition has continued. It embraces slow food and for me it’s a way to really connect with loved ones! I also started a regular meditation practice many years ago and that changed my life – helped to manage my stress and find balance. I didn't always get it right and would often find myself in a mad rush and stressed trying to do everything, but whenever I slowed down I could feel the difference!!

That’s why I believe slow living isn’t a luxury - it’s essential for all of us, especially for the busy mums out there who are doing far too much and struggling to find some calm.

An Invitation to Find Your Own Rhythm

We have recently moved to Mangawhai and for us the move was a way to embrace slow living more fully, a chance to slow down, connect more with nature and find a new rhythm. But slow living isn’t about where you live or making big dramatic changes.

It’s about intention. You don’t need to quit your job or move to the countryside to embrace slow living. It starts with small, intentional choices: saying no to an unnecessary commitment or something that drains you, choosing quality over quantity, and slowing down enough to notice beauty in the everyday and enjoy quiet moments of joy. Essential oils can be part of that - helping you create moments of presence, finding calm and a rhythm that feels uniquely yours.

Think of this as an invitation to find your rhythm - a version of slow living that feels sustainable, nourishing, and uniquely yours. Whatever it looks like, it’s not about opting out of life but about choosing how you engaging with it more fully, on your own terms.

At At One Organics, our philosophy is rooted in slow living and mindful rituals. Every product is created to support moments of calm, presence, and natural wellbeing - for you and your family.