There was a time when slowing down felt like something we had to be reminded to do. Now, it feels like something we actively need to fight for.

We live in a world where being busy is often worn as a badge of honour, where calendars are packed, phones are rarely out of reach and even our downtime can feel like another item on the to-do list. We rush from one commitment to the next, telling ourselves we'll make time to relax when things settle down. The trouble is, they rarely do.

Perhaps that's why the idea of simply sitting down for a good roast, enjoying a drink and spending time with the people we care about feels more valuable than ever.

Cast your mind back to the early days of Covid. The world, quite literally, slowed down. Streets emptied, commutes disappeared and the familiar rhythm of daily life was replaced by something altogether different.

For many, it was an unsettling and challenging time. But amid the uncertainty, there was also an opportunity to reassess what mattered. Families spent more time together. People rediscovered their gardens, took daily walks and learned to appreciate the simple pleasures that had previously been squeezed between work, travel and social commitments.

The morning commute was replaced by a coffee at the kitchen table. Meetings moved online. And, for a while, the pressure to be everywhere and do everything seemed to ease.

Of course, we didn't all experience that period in the same way, and the hardships of the pandemic should never be overlooked. Yet it prompted a wider conversation about how we spend our time and whether the pace of modern life is always serving us well.

Then, gradually, normality returned. Offices reopened, commutes resumed and the familiar demands of professional life came back. For some, the return to the office offered welcome social interaction and collaboration. For others, it meant reintroducing hours of travel and the challenge of fitting everything into an already crowded day.

Hybrid working has become part of the new landscape, but the wider pressure to be productive, responsive and constantly available hasn't disappeared. Having experienced a slower pace, many of us now find ourselves trying to recreate it.

We book holidays to escape the pressure. We plan wellness weekends. We put reminders in our calendars to take a break. We talk about work-life balance as though it were a destination we might eventually reach.

But perhaps slowing down doesn't need to be quite so complicated. Perhaps, it starts with something as simple as making time for a proper meal.

There is something wonderfully reassuring about a Sunday roast. It is unashamedly unhurried food. A meal that invites you to sit down, settle in and enjoy the company around you.

Unlike grabbing a sandwich between meetings or eating dinner while scrolling through your phone, a roast asks you to give it time. That's where initiatives such as Bear Inns' Roast & Relax Sundays strike a chord.

At our pubs, The Swan at Tarporley and The Lion at Malpas, we have embraced the idea that a Sunday roast should be about more than simply eating. It's about creating space to enjoy the occasion, with locally sourced ingredients, homemade accompaniments and a relaxed pub atmosphere.

Crucially, the initiative encourages diners to take their time, with no time limit on tables. There's no need to feel hurried through your meal or pressured to leave as soon as the plates have been cleared.

It is a refreshingly simple proposition: come in, enjoy a roast and relax.

The best pubs have always been about more than food and drink. They are places where communities gather, friendships develop and people can take a moment away from the demands of everyday life.

A pub lunch can become an afternoon. A quick pint can turn into a long conversation. A Sunday roast can stretch into an evening of laughter, music and good company.

Not every visit needs to be an occasion, either. Sometimes the greatest luxury is simply having nowhere else to be.

Slowing down doesn't mean abandoning ambition or pretending that modern life can be lived at a permanently leisurely pace. Responsibilities will always exist, and there will always be days when the diary is full. But it does mean recognising that rest and connection deserve the same consideration as our professional commitments.

The Sunday roast is the perfect reminder of this. It is familiar, comforting and rooted in the simple pleasure of gathering together. It doesn't need to be reinvented or made more efficient. It simply needs to be enjoyed.

Perhaps that's the lesson we can take from the last few years. Life is not only about how much we can achieve, how quickly we can get somewhere or how full we can make our schedules.

So, if you're looking for a way to slow down, perhaps you don't need to book a retreat or reorganise your entire life. You could start with a roast.

Find a welcoming pub, gather the people you love, sit back and enjoy the afternoon. Let the conversation take its course. Order another drink if you fancy one. And, for once, don't worry about what time you need to leave.

Woody (Edward) Barlow, founder of Bear Inns, has worked in the hospitality industry for over 30 years, opening and establishing a number of award-winning venues. Woody is a member of the voting academy for Top 50 Gastro Pubs and is passionate about creating amazing pubs that have a joyful, lively atmosphere created by people, not only their guests but those delivering genuinely great hospitality.