Slow Cooking Your Problems (The Art of Patience in Problem-Solving)

Patience, they say, is a virtue. But it’s not one I was born with.

Like many people today, I often equate convenience with expedience. I don’t like waiting in line. I don’t like sitting on hold waiting for a “representative” to speak with me. I don’t like getting stuck in traffic.

No, I am not a patient person. But I’m working on it.

In fact the one area of my life where I DO have a little patience is when I cook on the weekends. I love creating a hearty beef stew, a batch of spicy chili, or - my favorite - a savory and aromatic curry.

On these cooking adventures, I like to take my time. I don’t rush, but instead just immerse myself in the process of preparing a meal.

I sharpen my knives and take care when slicing the vegetables. I mindfully balance the spices. Everything is done according to the time it takes to do them properly.

The only rule is: don’t rush the process.

And in that unhurried spirit, I often opt to use my trusty slow cooker.

When I’m slow cooking, I have time to taste and adjust the flavors. Time to savor the scent of garlic or oregano or garam masala infusing my kitchen with mouth watering aromas. Time to see how the spices are mingling. Time to test how tender those simmering veggies are getting.

The world may be rushing by outside, but in my kitchen, time slows down to a luxuriously lazy pace.

Cooking like this is therapeutic for me, and of course, it yields a far better result than whatever it was I threw into the microwave during the week. Patience pays off.

And not just in cooking, but in life.

With my slow cooking, I’ve begun to appreciate the value of patience. Who knew you could learn a life lesson from a kitchen appliance?

In fact, thinking back on my life, and to the times when I’ve made the worst mistakes, messed up, botched it, fumbled the ball just a yard before the end zone…

…these were almost always the times when I forced the issue.

We’ve all heard it said that “haste makes waste.” And while acting quickly might give us the illusion that we’re “saving time,” what we’re often really doing is wasting other resources and missing opportunities.

When we’re up against a problem, it’s natural to want it solved and handled as soon as possible. Nobody likes problems that linger. But not all problems can be resolved immediately.

Sometimes, complex problems require a gradual, more mindful approach. The best solutions often come with time, not speed. When we crank up the heat too quickly on our problems, they can turn to mush and boil over into a bigger mess.

But when we slow down and allow time for our minds to visualize, contemplate, and weigh out the options…

…we usually find more palatable and creative solutions that work better in the long run.

Patience allows time for imagination to work its magic - to play with ideas, explore possibilities, detect opportunities. It is a steady-handed approach that helps us see clearly through the fog of uncertainty and makes space for innovation, growth, and healing. 

Consider that the brain itself is a kind of slow cooker. Research shows it’s better at solving problems when allowed time to do what it does best: think.

When we rush, we activate the twitchy, knee-jerk reactions of our limbic system. That leads to more mistakes, half-baked plans, and turns a bad situation into something even worse.

This fight-or-flight reaction can be helpful in some situations. But because most of us live pretty stressful lives, our limbic system is often on overdrive and unable to help us with bigger challenges.

However, if we can slow down, the limbic system also calms. This allows our brains to harness the prefrontal cortex - the part of the brain responsible for thinking clearly and strategizing effectively.

The prefrontal cortex is the master problem-solver of our brains and is uniquely equipped to plan, organize, evaluate options, and come up with fully-cooked results that are in-line with your goals, beliefs and values.

Patience is more than just a good problem solving skill. It truly is a virtue that - if we use it - will actually lead to other virtues. For example…

When we’re patient, we have more peace of mind, and can nurture a sense of calm certainty that we will, in time, figure it all out.

-Patience leads to more tolerance and awareness because we have the time necessary to pay attention, to observe, and to listen.

- Patience imbues us with a feeling of gratitude. It takes time to notice and appreciate our many blessings.

-Patience helps develop resilience, fortitude, and perseverance.

-Patience teaches us to wait without worrying, pay a little less attention to the ticking clock, and relish the precious experience of simply being present.

In this “high-velocity” “get-it-now” world, it’s tempting to microwave your way through life. But the next time you’re facing a tough situation, a vexing problem, or a dilemma of some kind…

…consider slow cooking it for a while.

Just sit with it. Notice it. Don’t boil it, just let it simmer.

Allow the ingredients of your imagination and ideas to cook slowly, marinate, rediscover the joy of letting things unfold in their own time, and savor the delicious satisfaction that comes from patience and time.

You might be surprised at what kind of solutions you come up with.

Over 90% of the time, the weight you lose from diet and exercise comes back before you know it (and oftentimes you end up heavier than when you started).

This is the key to lasting weight loss you haven’t tried before!