The Power of Slow: How to Achieve More by Easing Up, Disney Style
- Mark Mathia
- May 5
- 3 min read
By Mark Mathia Posted: May 5, 2025
Last week, I was ready to implode. Work was a pressure cooker—weekly migraines, a trusted colleague struggling, my team misaligned, and a flood of bad news hitting me the day I was supposed to leave for Disney World with my wife, Shanna. I was confused, angry, grasping for answers. Cancel the trip? Work from the hotel? My instinct was to double down, light the fuse on my productivity dynamite as fast as possible, and blast through the chaos.
But here’s the truth: it doesn’t matter how fast the dynamite is lit, just that it is. Slowing down—intentionally—saved me. And it can save you too.
The Disney Moment That Changed Everything
Shanna and I made it to the Magic Kingdom, but I was still carrying the weight of work. One night, we’re waiting for the Happily Ever After fireworks show. My mind’s racing—replaying emails, stressing about what’s next. Then the music swells, the castle glows, and for 18 minutes, I’m present. Just me, Shanna, and this moment.
Disney doesn’t rush that magic. According to Be Our Guest by the Disney Institute (2011), their team spends months choreographing every detail of those fireworks—sound, light, pacing—to create an emotional arc that hits you deep. They could cut corners, but they don’t. They let the experience build, layer by layer, because that’s what makes it unforgettable.
That night, I realized I was burning out trying to go fast. Disney was crushing it by going slow.
The Disney Blueprint: Precision Over Speed
Disney’s experience design is a masterclass in prioritizing impact over haste. Take their ride queues, like at Jungle Cruise. Instead of leaving you bored, they fill the wait with themed props, witty signs, and immersive details. The Imagineering Field Guide to Magic Kingdom (Alex Wright, 2010) notes that Imagineers spend years crafting these spaces to make every moment part of the story. It’s not about getting you through faster; it’s about making the journey matter.
This applies to your life. When you slow down, you create space to focus on what moves the needle—your best ideas, your energy, your relationships. It’s not about doing less; it’s about doing better.
Why Slow Works
Rushing keeps you reactive, stuck in survival mode. A 2018 study in Frontiers in Psychology found that intentional morning rituals—time to think, plan, or just be—boost focus and reduce stress. Slowing down also lets you work in focused sprints, which a 2014 Journal of Applied Psychology study shows maximizes productivity without burnout. And celebrating small wins? That’s not fluff—it builds resilience, per a 2017 The Journal of Positive Psychology study.
When I got home from Disney, I tested this. I set boundaries—no work emails on vacation. Back at work, I am commited to starting my mornings with 30 minutes of quiet, I'll work in 40-minute sprints, and paused to mark wins. My goal is to by Friday, realign my self, our team, and tackle our most pressing projects. The goal-to make work human again. I'm convinced that slow will not make me fall behind; it will help me to become unstoppable.
Your Turn to Light the Dynamite
You don’t need to hustle harder to achieve more. Like Disney, you need to slow down, get intentional, and light your dynamite with purpose. Here’s how:
Anchor Your Morning: Block off 30-60 minutes for yourself—no screens. Journal, walk, or sip coffee in silence. It’s your reset button.
Work in Sprints: Pick one task, set a 30-90 minute timer, and go deep. Then take a 15-minute break. Focus, then release.
Mark the Wins: When you nail something, pause. Take a walk, grab a treat, or just say, “I did that.” It’s fuel for the long game.
Want to go even deeper? I've created a free downloadable coaching sheet that will help you map out your slow-down strategy and start getting ahead by easing up. All you have to do is subscribe to this blog and drop me a note that say's I'm in for slowing down!
Our life’s not a race—it’s a chance to create something that lasts. Let's light our dynamite slow, and make it count.
Share your slow-down strategy with #EssentiallyYou or tag me on social. Let’s talk about how you’re lighting your fuse.
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