Downshift is about getting back to basics, about reminding ourselves what really matters in life, and simplifying our existence so that we get our priorities right. The aim is to reduce our spending and consumption so that we end up doing what we enjoy, and have more time with people we want to be with, rather than feel obliged to earn more and more to keep up with the neighbours!
Above all else, we need a planet capable of sustaining life, and our current lifestyles are destroying what we have taken for granted. There has never been a better time to rethink and downshift. Work smarter, not harder, and think about what really matters to you: a dying man's last wish is unlikely to be that he had spent more time in the office.
One of its most outspoken advocates is Tracey Smith who has produced the powerful polemic "Slow Down and Green Up - A Beginner's Guide to Downshifting" which is available online at her site Downshiftingsweek.com.
Tracey states:
"The less money you spend, the less you need to earn in order to live, and the more time you can spend with the ones you love."
At a time when people are often working longer hours and stressed out by their jobs this is a powerful message, and one which an increasing number of people are picking up on.
Tracey puts forward 10 top tips for Downshifting which we paraphrase below. Of course the actual way to downshift is down to personal preference, but these are some good ideas to get you thinking.
1. Analyse your time and finance budget.
2. Cut up a credit card.
3. Donate unwanted clothes, toys and items to a charity shop.
4. List your weekly expenditure and eliminate 3 non-essential purchases this week.
5. Plant something in the garden you can cultivate and eat, and start a compost heap.
6. Cook a meal using seasonal, raw ingredients, preferably organic.
7. Keep free-range chickens.
8. Make your own greetings cards and save a forturne.
9. Turn off the TV and start living!
10. Spend time with the one(s) you love.
Downshiftingsweek.com
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