Slow Down to Speed Up!
Covid recently hit me and my family; whilst fortunately our symptoms weren’t nearly as bad as many others have experienced, I was still off work for a week to recover and look after my children. The one silver-lining was that it gave me some much-needed time to take a step back and think clearly about my work priorities. Life can be hectic and often we may have to force ourselves to spend some quiet time focusing on what really matters to us.
Life can move at an overwhelming pace. Between work demands, family responsibilities and the constant background noise of daily life, it’s easy to drift into autopilot. We juggle, react, and push forward without ever pausing long enough. A few of my coaching clients have commented on how chaotic their lives are and that they are always ‘switched on’; leaving them drained, less effective and unfocused. In the midst of constant demands, can we develop PURPOSEFULLY and FASTER, by in fact SLOWING DOWN? Developing a habit of setting aside thinking time is essential for this. Leaders are navigating a complex, time-poor environment where they are required to steer colleagues through uncertainty and to support the development of happy, engaged and effective teams, within the reality of simply not having the time.
The research supports what many of us intuitively know: slowing down is vital.
When we pause, we give our brains the chance to restore energy, sharpen attention, and reset emotionally.
When we reflect, we gain clarity on our priorities instead of reacting to the loudest demand.
When we create intentional thinking time, we make better strategic decisions, especially when facing complex or high-stakes challenges.
And when we detach briefly, even for a short break, we stimulate the executive functions required for creativity, insight, and problem-solving.
In other words, slowing down isn’t about doing less, it’s about doing what matters better.
How can leaders help themselves to be more strategic and faster moving?
Slowing down to speed up by carving out quality, focused thinking time (e.g. scheduling buffers or meeting free morning)
Adopting a mindset and habit of pausing and clarifying before acting
Establishing what problems you are trying to solve
Identifying the real obstacles in your way (what are you fighting or running away from?).
Leadership coaching that create focus and clarity
Leadership coaching can play a key role in helping leaders slow down to speed up.
Coaching provides leaders focused thinking time - a rare space to pause, step back and work through complexity with clarity. In a world where leaders are pulled in multiple directions at once, coaching becomes a deliberate interruption to the fast-paced rhythm of daily demands. It provides the structure and support they need to slow down long enough to think deeply, explore options, and move forward with greater intention.
One of the most significant benefits of coaching is the dedicated time it creates for clear, deliberate thinking where it can help leaders to direct their attention toward solving meaningful problems, spotting patterns, and identifying new opportunities they might otherwise overlook. This protected space allows them to step out of “doing mode” and into a mindset of reflection, strategy and personal growth.
In coaching sessions, leaders have the opportunity to untangle complex situations, breaking decisions down into manageable parts, uncovering root causes rather than merely addressing symptoms, and exploring different perspectives without the pressure of immediate action. The coach’s role is not only to listen, but also to offer supportive challenge: asking the questions that disrupt habitual thinking and open up new ways of seeing a situation.
By slowing down in this intentional environment, leaders strengthen their ability to think long-term, not just short-term. They practice making decisions based on value rather than noise, aligning their choices with their purpose and desired impact. Over time, these reflective habits carry back into their day-to-day work, helping them lead with greater clarity, focus and confidence.
Leadership coaching with me
When I challenge my clients’ thinking, it helps them develop a clearer vision of where they are now, what they want to achieve and to identify what the ‘elephants in the room’ are that may be hindering their progress. I encourage clients to think hard and ask themselves “what really is the problem here?” By identifying and being clear about the obstacles preventing them from achieving their vision, we unlock doors to taking meaningful action. Naturally, in life, we attend to the ‘symptoms’ rather than the ‘real problems at hand’ simply because it isn’t always clear to us what these barriers truly are. We can often become overwhelmed and procrastinate because we don’t want to face those issues head on!
I coach Directors and Senior Managers who are committed to making a positive impact for themselves and the people they lead. Through a dedicated space to think and paired with supportive challenge, I help leaders deepen their self-awareness, clarify their priorities, and define a clear direction forward. Together, we identify and work through the barriers holding them back, so they feel empowered to confidently navigate current challenges and independently tackle those ahead.
Next Steps
If you’re wanting to help your organisational leaders to slow down and lead with clarity, I can help. Contact me today to schedule a chat: Contact Me — Nicola Butcher Psychology.
If you are interested in leadership coaching, you can explore my four separate and complementary services below:
Leadership Coaching: Coaching for Clarity Programme for Directors and Senior Managers
Leadership Development: Leadership development programmes, including Emotional Agility in Leadership and Leaders as Coaches: Coaching Skills
Leadership Assessment: Leadership exploration, feedback and development on a range of leadership tools, including EQi and Hogan
Coaching Strategy: Coaching Audit to analyse current coaching state with recommendations. Also, Coaching Clinics for Learning and Leadership Development Professionals to embed coaching into their organisation.