I had a client once who talked about needing more margin and white space in her life. I loved that analogy. It painted a clear picture of her need for quiet space in a world of noise and constant demands. Can you relate?
I don’t know about you, but I have had moments at work when my phone is ringing, I’m trying to finish an email and there’s someone at my door. Or I’m on a conference call and I’m multi-tasking to finish a project that’s due at the end of the day or maybe the end of the next hour. For me, this kind of busyness and noise means that I might make a mistake or forget to follow up on an important issue. I’m reacting. I’m not at my best.
Over the past several months when we’ve been in lock down, we’ve experienced more quiet in the world, which has positively impacted environmental and noise pollution levels. I’ve heard birds singing more. I’ve noticed colors of plants and flowers. I’ve been more present. What have you noticed?
I’ve done some reading about the importance of quiet space in our lives. Here are some quick facts about taking time for quiet space:
Helps to solidify what we’ve learned at work or in school
Helps restore our nervous system
Helps sustain our energy
Helps our minds to be more adaptive, responsive and creative
Sustained silence helps with the development of new brain cells that assist with learning and memory
Helps to lower blood pressure, boost immune system, decrease stress, increase sleep
If quiet space has such important impact on us, what do we do to begin to incorporate more of it into our lives?
Here are some ideas to consider -
Take 5 minutes after a meeting to sit in silence
Take a walk in nature and focus on the beauty around you
Take time at the beginning of the day to say a prayer of gratitude and blessing, maybe before your feet hit the floor
Close your eyes and focus on your breathing
Consider taking a media fast for a period of time, turning off all news and entertainment for a day or a week and intentionally connecting with others
Are there ideas that you have? Imagine the world if we all took time to embrace quiet space!
