In Praise of Slow

Is it possible to slow down in the 21st Century?

While the source of this posts information is several years old, I find the topic compelling. Perhaps what makes the idea of slow new, is the subtle and not so subtle ways we might utilize slow to improve our lives.

Moving through the last couple decades, the topic of pace and the idea of slowing down have captivated much of my thought. Partly due to injuries and health concerns, yet a greater draw are my thoughts around quality not quantity, the idea of less as more, and even the practice of absence of.

In terms of massage and the business of massage, the idea of slowing down inspires interest on how to serve the growing awareness of slow in the 21st century. How can we capitalize by integrating slow into our health, our work, our business, our life?

The question sent me researching, and I found this video on TED.com. (Click here for Video)

"Journalist Carl Honore believes the Western world's emphasis on speed erodes health, productivity and quality of life. But there's a backlash brewing, as everyday people start putting the brakes on their all-too-modern lives."


Watch the video and contemplate your own ideas about how pace may affect you and how it could impact your business.

Massage Employment Changes 2010 - 2018

Employment of massage therapists is expected to increase by 19 percent from 2008 to 2018, faster than the average for all occupations. Employment will grow as more people learn about the benefits of massage therapy.

Continued growth in the demand for massage services will lead to new openings for massage therapists. The number of spas, which employ a large number of therapists, has increased in recent years and will continue to do so. At the same time, there are an increasing number of massage clinic franchises, many of which offer massages cheaper than at spas and resorts, making them available to a wider range of customers. In addition, as an increasing number of States adopt licensing requirements and standards for therapists, the practice of massage is likely to be respected and accepted by more and more people.

Massage also offers specific benefits to particular groups of people, whose continued demand for massage services will lead to overall growth for the occupation. For example, as workplaces try to distinguish themselves as employee-friendly, providing professional in-office, seated massages for employees is becoming a popular on-the-job benefit. Older citizens in nursing homes or assisted-living facilities also are finding benefits from massage, such as increased energy levels and reduced health problems. Demand for massage therapy should grow among older age groups because they increasingly are enjoying longer, more active lives and persons aged 55 years and older are projected to be the most rapidly growing segment of the U.S. population over the next decade. However, demand for massage therapy is presently greatest among young adults, who lack the concerns about massage that previous generations had.

Source: U.S. Dept of Labor