Do you do things fast or slow?
By scheng1
@scheng1 (24650)
Singapore
January 20, 2011 8:03am CST
Do you like to do things fast or slow?
Some people are very fast in whatever they do. They walk very fast. They talk very fast. They eat very fast.
They seem unable to sit quietly and wait patiently for bus or train or whatever else.
Some people are completely opposite.
They are always the last one to finish eating. They walk slowly. This has nothing to do with their age. It is their character to take things slow.
What kind of person are you?
Do you feel irritated to do things with the polar opposite?
5 people like this
36 responses
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
21 Jan 11
Hi Emine, I think you will feel very stressful when you are with those who are very fast in eating, walking and talking.
I belong to those who do things fast. That is in my nature.
While age does slow me down a bit, I am still rather fast in many ways.
I think you will live a really long life.
I have observed that those who do things in a very relaxed manner tend to live longer.
They have more time to relax and enjoy nature.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
21 Jan 11
haha Emine08, if I were to slow down, I would get very stressful.
It is in my nature to have constant movement.
Even when I was out in the nature, I would not just sit on a bench for hours and stare at the scenery.
I rather spent my time walking, and getting in fresh air.
Unfortunately for my friends, I could walk continuously for four hours without the need for a rest.
once my friend walked till her hair sticked to her skull, and her muscles ached for days.
@mommaj (23112)
• United States
26 Jan 11
Hi scheng!
Want to take a guess about me. HEHEHE. I usually do things slow. I don't think I walk slow when I have a purpose. Otherwise, I will just enjoy going from one place to the other. When I have to do things fast, I will sometimes get nervous or flustered. I usually do not get irritated over it though.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
27 Jan 11
Hi Mommaj, nobody wants to bet that you are a fast worker, sure lose the bet.
I think the only thing you are very fast at is to create trouble all over the world.
Looking at the rate of writing articles, I doubt anyone else could be slower.
I know how to get you out of bed faster than usual.
I just need to pour the pail of cold water on your face. That will make you get up faster without you getting nervous or flustered.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
27 Jan 11
Just received a notification that you have published an article in Associated Content!
Wonder what takes you so long to write one article.
Almost forgotten who is Jane Vee already! Think next time I have to borrow a few hungry dogs with sharp teeth, so that they can chase you around, then you will learn to do things faster.
But then, I worry for the lives of these dogs.
I think you have buried a secret recipe for making hot dogs in your hideous cave!
@derek_a (10874)
•
21 Jan 11
I tend to do things fast but I am working on slowing things down a little! 
I tend to really walk fast if I am going somewhere at time, but that is me trying to get there in my mind before I have arrived there physically. It's not a good way to be, and because I practice Zen meditation I have slowed down considerably over the last few years. 
_Derek
I tend to really walk fast if I am going somewhere at time, but that is me trying to get there in my mind before I have arrived there physically. It's not a good way to be, and because I practice Zen meditation I have slowed down considerably over the last few years. _Derek@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
21 Jan 11
Hi Derek, is Zen meditation supposed to slow you down?
I thought Zen meditation is meant to help you focus, and relax, rather than let the daily stress gets to you.
I think it is hard to change a person, especially when the personality is such that he does everything fast.
The only thing is that the speed of doing things must not cause heart problem. Otherwise it is not worth.
1 person likes this
@derek_a (10874)
•
22 Jan 11
Zen meditation helps you to just be with yourself, which ever way you are at a given time. It enhances the ability to focus, but not always relax. It brings up stresses (karma) to give you the opportunity to process it. It is about supporting a person become more real. Maybe relaxed, maybe not - it all depends on which way you are going. We all have the potential to transform (more than acutally change), for some it is easy, for others it is not. The truth is that we all change anyway. If you think back say 10 years, you were a different person then, so you have already transformed. The same person, yet not that same person. It is not easy to explain what Zen can do, as it is unique to each personality. _Derek
_Derek@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
22 Jan 11
Hi Derek, thanks for the explanation.
I understand a bit more now. Even though I do not practice any form of meditation, I have practice in Tai chi and Qi gong.
The concept is fundamentally the same. Tai chi seems very easy, supposedly to help a person relaxes.
However, in practice, it creates a lot of stresses on different parts of the body. We have to focus on the movement of whole body, yet most of the times, the movement limits to just one part of the body.
I think all forms of arts have the same origin in nature. That is why the concept of harmonizing with nature is so important.
@sminut13 (1783)
• Singapore
25 Jan 11
i'm a slow person, that i can say for sure. maybe it's in my genes as you say it can be hehe i don't like to stress over things. i feel that the quality of my work or whatever it is i do, decreases. grins
as for getting irritated with the polar opposite, personally, i don't think i'd feel angry or anything. instead, i'd just go with the flow usually. i let them decide all and just go along with it unless i've got some opinions that is. then i tell them but it's not really heard most of the time:P i have to admire the 'fast' people. they manage to complete all their stuff fast and yet do it perfectly. i'm envious at times but even though i want to be like them at times when it's needed, maybe because of my laziness, it's more or less not possible. if somehow it is, then well it's not really satisfactory i guess. ehehe
@sminut13 (1783)
• Singapore
7 Feb 11
haha thanks for the vote of confidence there scheng1. at least, someone thinks positively of that, although in a negative way, i guess you'd call that lazy too:P hahaha if i try competing with those who're fast, then it's only going to be headache and stress for me.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
27 Jan 11
Hi Sminut, I think you can live a very long time with your pace of life.
At least you never try to compete with those who are naturally fast in their work and all aspects of their lives.
The best is to do things at our natural pace, so that we can live happily, and not get envious with the lifestyle of others.
There are some people who cannot do things fast, yet want to compete with those fast workers.
They have to put in more time and effort. In the end, they suffer from burnout and they feel miserable.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
8 Feb 11
Hi Sminut, each of us has different personality.
Those who are naturally slow need to find customer service related kind of job, or even counselling types of work.
I mean, when a person is calling to complain about something or just need to talk, there is no point asking a natural fast person to handle it.
After all, a listening attitude is more important.
Once the person finishes talking, he will feel much better, even without an actual solution in sight.
@Suzieqmom (2755)
• United States
20 Jan 11
I fall squarely into the "fast" category--talking, walking, driving, shopping, etc. And I do get VERY impatient with slow-paced people, unless there is a reason that they have slowed down (I would never lose patience with an elderly person or a young child, for instance). But a SSSSLLLLOOOOOWWWWW cashier at a check-out line drives me insane!! 
Or being behind a slow driver in the left lane of a 4-lane highway--pure torture. 
Part of it is my personality, part is where I live (NJ), and part is because there are SO many things I want to do or experience in a day, and having to wait to do them cuts into my adventure time! 
Or being behind a slow driver in the left lane of a 4-lane highway--pure torture. Part of it is my personality, part is where I live (NJ), and part is because there are SO many things I want to do or experience in a day, and having to wait to do them cuts into my adventure time! @scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
21 Jan 11
Hi Suzieqmom, I can understand how you feel.
I live in a city too. The pace of life is faster, and people who are slow at work find it hard to earn a promotion.
A few years ago, I was travelling home from our neighboring country, Malaysia.
We had to queue up for hours in the custom to get the stamp for our passports. it made my blood boiled to see the custom officer, a Malay lady, combing her hair instead of stamping the passport.
I almost wanted to go over, and pull her hair out.
So many tourists were there, standing for hours, and she just took her time. Even when she started to stamp the passport, it took her hours to turn the passport to the right page, and put a stamp on it.
I simply cannot tolerate this kind of working attitude.
@Suzieqmom (2755)
• United States
21 Jan 11
Oh, I feel your pain. . .I would have felt exactly the same way. And if I were in the U.S., I would have gone over to her and said so! (I wouldn't pull her hair out, but I would think about it). Of course it's not a good idea to confront a slowpoke who's a customs officer in a country other than your own (!) so I would have boiled away in silence, just like you. I hope at least the trip was worth it.
I hope at least the trip was worth it.@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
21 Jan 11
Hi Suzieqmom, since my country, Singapore, is such a small place, most of us travel to Malaysia from time to time just for a day tour.
It is very annoying to buy things, and then queue up for hours on Sunday night at the custom.
The Singapore custom officers are very efficient.
They wont let people queue up for hours just to watch them comb hair.
@koikei (206)
• Philippines
21 Jan 11
greetings! i usually like to do things fast, because i worry a lot about wasting time and not being able to accomplish a lot of things. but it also depends on what i'm doing. there are times i want to eat fast (will be late for work) and times that i want to eat really slowly (when i'm on vacation and i have hours to spend).
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
21 Jan 11
Hi Koikei, I feel the same way.
If I can finish my meal faster, I can spend my lunch time on other things.
Sometimes I just take a walk after a meal to help digest the food. Sometimes I need to run errands.
Since lunch time is short, eating fast really save a lot of time.
I hate to watch TV, since that is a very passive activity. I feel like wasting my life watching TV.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
21 Jan 11
Hi Koikei, that is very comforting!
Nearly all my friends, colleagues and relatives love TV. I hate it very much, just cannot sit there for an hour watching.
I prefer to play computer games to relieve stress.
However, now that I find out about so many ways to make money online, I do not play computer games anymore.
I prefer to spend time here or write articles for passive income.
@celticeagle (159609)
• Boise, Idaho
21 Jan 11
It depends on what the task is. If it is cleaning house I usually do some things then I set and drink some water or watch tv for awhile and then get back to it. If it is typing I am usually excited about what I am typing and so I write very fast. If it a shower or something personal I am slow and deliberate so I enjoy it more.
@celticeagle (159609)
• Boise, Idaho
21 Jan 11
I used to be that way too. Now I have arthritis and depression and never feel like doing much and never do it fast. I feel the same way that you do about housework and think that it is because we know it will just have to be done over and over. It is frustrating.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
21 Jan 11
Hi Celticeagle, when it comes to housework, I like to get it over before I sit down for tea or coffee.
I hate to do housework, even though it is so important.
I try to motivate myself by thinking of the calories lost, and in term of health benefits.
Most of the times I tend to do things fast, so that I have more time for other things.
1 person likes this
@yugasini (12836)
• Anantapur, India
21 Jan 11
hi scheng,
you are right, i am also some what fast person, eating fast,doing things fast,i am not lazy person,but when i have to wait some time for any one,i cannot keep quite,atleast i may walk around,i am not interested to waste a single minute with chitchat like that,when ever i am in the home i am on online mostly,have a nice day
@yugasini (12836)
• Anantapur, India
21 Jan 11
hi scheng,
thanks for the response,both of us are same fast in eating,walking and doing things also,if i have book i will read the book without wasting a second ,there is new thing to you,do day i have met mylot friend professor at my place on train,so i hope that i may meet more mylot friends soon,have a nice day
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
21 Jan 11
Hi Yugasini, I am a fast person when it comes to eating, walking and doing things.
I just want to get things done, so that I have more time for other things.
I like to read books while waiting. Otherwise I would feel as if I am wasting time, and not getting result.
When it comes to online activities, I tend to focus on activities to make money, for example participating in mylot here or writing articles.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
22 Jan 11
Hi Aerous, sometimes it is in our nature to do things fast or slow, and not really dependence on the tasks on hand.
I once had a very relaxing job. I always finished my work at three in the afternoon, but then I had to find other things to do for the next three hours.
I told myself to slow down, and my colleagues also told me to slow down. But I just could not do that.
When I got a task to do, I would want to do it fast and accurate. I did it fast so that i could check through at least twice.
@myfb2009 (8296)
• Malaysia
25 Jan 11
I like to do things fast. Because the faster i complete my daily jobs, the more faster i can sit down relax and enjoy my online jobs. I like to come online whenever i am free, since i can chat with my online friends and even add up more my extra income as well. The only things that i do slowly is having my food. I don't want to rush having my food and ended-up choking in the end....
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
27 Jan 11
Hi Myfb, I tend to do things fast also.
It is my natural pace of life, and I do enjoy more time for hobbies, such as reading and writing online.
I hate to do housework, since it is a never ending task.
I think when it comes to eating, even when I eat slower than usual, I am still faster than most people.
@LadyDD (515)
• Romania
25 Jan 11
I am certainly a slow person in doing all things. There is a proverb saying that "more haste, less speed". It applies to me very well. If I am fast, the thing I'm doing has not a very good or satisfying result. If I'm slow and thing over every detail and take it step by step, the result is generally satisfying. That's why I hate the word "urgent"!
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
27 Jan 11
Hi Strongsz, I think even if you eat slow, you do not eat so slow that the soup turns cold.
There are some people who are very slow in eating, until the soup is cold, the rice is cold, and he is still eating.
I guess the sense of urgency is ingrained in most of us, especially those of us who are in the city.
It is impossible to take things easy when you need to rush for work in the morning, and rush home after work.
@sweet_pea (3322)
• Philippines
21 Apr 11
It depends. There are things that should be done fast and there are things that should be done slowly. I usually walk fast so I won’t be late for work. I usually finish my work real quick but precise so I have more time here at Mylot. I usually eat slowly so as not to have indigestion. I like to eat my ice ream slowly as I would like to savor the flavor.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
21 Apr 11
haha Sweet_pea, if you have eaten ice cream on an extremely hot day, I doubt you will eat slow.
Over here, the weather is just hot and rain, no other season available.
We live just one degree north of the equator.
If I were to eat ice cream outside, I have to finish it really fast.
If I have the luxury of sitting inside the air conditioned restaurant, then I can take my own sweet time.
@pokumon (644)
• United States
22 Jan 11
I am very slow in general. I walk very slow unless I'm on Adderall which I cannot take anymore. I eat very slowly too normally taking about 10 minutes per meal. I am a super slow reader because I have a reading disability and I also have slow processing speed so filling surveys out is always time consuming. I really wish I were faster at things, but I can't change my neural brain chemistry I guess.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
22 Jan 11
Hi Pokumon, just relax and be yourself.
Some of us are born to be fast, and we cannot slow down, otherwise we will find life boring and miserable.
Some people are born to do things leisurely and slow, taking things easy. If you enjoy doing things slow, then just accept that it is in your nature to do so. Do not stress yourself.
You can never feel happy when you try to compete with those who are faster.
I think it is good that you find work that allows you to do things at natural pace.
@goldeneagle (6745)
• United States
22 Jan 11
I can get in a hurry when I need to, but I prefer to take my time doing things if there is no reason to rush. I am more likely to mess up or forget something if I am trying to do things too fast...
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
22 Jan 11
Hi Goldeneagle, I think it is best to do things at our own pace.
For me, I tend to do things very fast. I do not forget anything when I am in a momentum to get things done.
However, once I slow down, I forget everything.
It is as if everything is switched off. I think it is in my nature to do things very fast, and it is not your nature to do so.
You will get very stressed up if you force yourself to hurry.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
27 Jan 11
Hi Dodo, it is true that there are some tasks that are really time consuming, there are people who can still do it faster than the rest of us.
I think personality has to do with it.
Some people are slow and steady in all aspects of life, such as walking, eating and talking. They do not hurry up even when they are reporting urgent matters.
Some people are the complete opposites. They do everything faster than others, and they seem always in a rush for everything.
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
21 Jan 11
I do believe that each tick of the clock counts so I am basically a person who moves as fast and as quick as possible. My husband could not help but admire me for being such a fast worker. I could do things faster than others could. But when it comes to eating I don't do eat fast. I want to enjoy my meal so I have to savor each bite but not to the point of getting too slow and wasting time.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
22 Jan 11
Hi Salonga, I learn to eat slower too.
Otherwise I would finish my food, and made my friends uncomfortable.
I used to finish eating while my friends were just in their third spoonful. It is a matter of habit and nature.
I like to finish the solid food, and then take my time drinking the soup.
I guess people who are fast workers like us, find it more energetic and lively when we are doing everything fast.
@akangirl (2436)
• India
22 Jan 11
Mostly i am a slow and calm person unless i am angry. I try to run away from the people if i feel that i am going to get angry. I am very much at peace now. I can wait for long hours but still wouldn't get bored. I use to have a very high temper in childhood sometimes i used to be very violent but the main reason which i think was the reason for me being so high tempered in my childhood was because of the inability to say or express my frustrations and feelings .
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
22 Jan 11
Hi Akangirl, I think you have found a way of expressing your thoughts, and that you are a naturally slow person who are very observant.
Are you an artistically or musically inclined person?
I cannot tolerate long hours of doing nothing. Even though I like nature. The way I enjoy nature is to walk and walk, breath in the fresh air, and look at the sky and cloud.
I cannot never sit in a place for an hour just looking at the fishes or doing nothing in particular.
@babyEj (1522)
• Philippines
22 Jan 11
I do things in moderate way unless I have deadline to achieve so I make my every way fast as possible. It's true that there are other people that do things slowly and on the opposite way yes, it's true.. among my father's siblings they are doing things very slowly but one sibling is very very slow... lol! She talks slow and do things slow... her children are doing it the same like their mom.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
22 Jan 11
Hi BabyEj, I think your aunt who is very very slow in everything can never cope with life in a big company in a big city.
It is best for her to stay in the suburban area, where the pace of life is not as fast as the city.
I bet she and her kids will live a very long life.
If I were to do everything slow, I needed to get up much earlier in the morning, otherwise I would get to work late.
Morning is literally a rush hour. One second difference can mean coming to work late or early.
