Slow is smooth

There is an old saying in some professions that goes: slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. It sounds backwards. It is often true.

The cost of hurry#

When we rush, we skip steps, misread instructions and make small errors. Then we must go back and correct them. The time we thought we saved is spent several times over, and we feel worse.

Anyone who has measured badly, cut once and had to start again knows the feeling.

What smooth means#

Smooth work is steady and deliberate. Each movement is clear, each step is checked, and nothing is wasted. It may look unhurried from outside. In practice it is efficient, because it does not need redoing.

Craftspeople, musicians and athletes all know this. Beginners hurry. Experts look slow but finish sooner, because they make few mistakes.

How to apply it#

• Check before you commit. Read the instructions and the numbers once more before you send, cut or sign.
• Do one thing at a time. Switching between tasks makes everything slower.
• Slow down on the hard parts. Move quickly through what is easy and give difficult steps their due.
• Practise slowly. If you are learning a skill, do it slowly and correctly first. Speed comes with repetition.

A caution#

This is not an excuse for delay. Slow does not mean stopped, and it is not the same as perfectionism. The aim is to remove the errors that rushing creates, not to avoid finishing.

A good test is to ask whether hurry is actually helping. If you are late and tired and making mistakes, slowing down is probably the quickest way out.

Next time you feel rushed, take one breath, slow your hands and see what happens. You may finish earlier than you expected.