Bottlenecks

“I’m not late. Everyone else is early.”— Alice in Wonderland

Slow is morally neutral. It's not bad. It's not good. It's just the movement of one thing in comparison to another. When chased by a wolf, I pray I'm faster than the wolf. When carrying a mug brimming with coffee, I'd prefer to move slower than the person directly in front of me. The pace that’s “slow” for escaping danger is “fast” for not spilling a drink on a stranger. Different goals call for different speeds, and speed is relative.

So why does "slow" feel like failure in so many contexts? Who's setting the pace? Who benefits from the pressure we feel to produce faster? And at what cost?

"Efficient" and "fast" aren't objective measures. They're defaults we've been taught to strive for, even when they don't serve us.

The Gift of the Bottleneck

For maybe 100 years now, the term "bottleneck" has meant an obstacle that disrupts progress. But in a bottle, the neck is the feature, not a flaw. It helps direct, control, and contain a flow that could otherwise spill or overwhelm.

It's the same for bottlenecks in processes. They reveal pressure points where the system is moving faster than your capacity can handle. They expose a task that needs more clarity, not always more speed. In fact, sometimes. the bottleneck is the person or place holding the most integrity.

It can be hard to give grace when the "bottleneck" is yourself. But kindness toward your struggle is an act of rebellion against oppressive structures. Disability justice teaches us that productivity culture is a violence against those whose bodies or minds operate differently. The pace of most systems was never designed for everyone. Whenever you are the "slow" one, you can take the opportunity to advocate for bodies like yours that the system doesn't work for. A rising tide lifts all boats, and unlearning ableism helps you reframe the "laziness" you shame yourself for.

If we treat friction with care and not punishment, obstacles can be generative instead of depleting. For you, and for society.

Final Thoughts

My systems should bend to reality instead of urgency. Restraint, reflection, and revision are signs of maturity, and they take time.

On Instagram this week, I'll post about how to identify and adapt to bottlenecks.

Be kind to yourself about your struggle, whatever it is.