April 2008
Silence - The Pause that Refreshes
"It's been weeks since I've had a few minutes of time for quiet reflection." my client said to me. Have you ever been so busy that you too had that feeling? I know I have.
As I begin to write on the topic of "quiet reflection" I can't help but notice the irony in the fact that I frequently talk to my clients about how to pack more into the day. I also write on time management techniques. You can find time management lists and articles that I have written on my website. Here is an example of one list: http://www.asparker.com/ppts0604.html. So why am I focused on "quiet reflection" today?
It started because I noticed how quickly time goes by. We are already in the second quarter of 2008. Then I began to list what I had accomplished in the first quarter and how much more there was left in my business plan to do this year. It gave me a bit of an anxious feeling. Not pleasant!
We're driven today by "to do" lists, goals and multitasking. Many people are so accomplishment focused that they brag about how much they got done in one day and/or how many hours they worked. It is often enough to make the listener dizzy or worse feeling guilty.
I'm working on putting this all in balance. Now there is a word we use a lot: balance. So much of what we do needs to be balanced but not in the way a scale gets balanced. We don't always want equal amounts on both sides. We have to find the right mix for ourselves. In this instance it might be equal amounts of work and relaxation or it might not be. My guess is what I call balance today will change over time based on my life situation.
As with my client however our lives get in the way of that "balance" and since society at least in the US rewards the accomplishment focus we are always racing to do "stuff". Sometimes it is hard to remember the reasons for "quiet reflection."
My client wanted to use her time to reflect on a business idea she had and what form it would take. (Visioning) I've been working on making time for a meditation practice so that I can rest my mind. Quiet time can also give you time to think about all you have to be grateful for - a much different internal feeling than "what do I have to do next?" or "what didn't I do?"
If this is something you are concerned about too here are some suggestions from the April 6th Careers section of the Boston Globe. Writer Maggie Johnson suggests these methods for "hitting the pause button."
- Small doses - Start with a minute or two. Take breaks in small doses so that over time you form a new habit.
- Reminders - Write a note to yourself and stick it someplace obvious like the bathroom mirror to remind yourself to just stop for a minute or two.
- Disconnect - Have a no tech zone. Disconnect from the computer, Internet, TV, telephone and other electronic devices and just sit quietly. (If this idea scares you, then you really need to do it.)
If you would like to find new locations for quiet reflection, please read
the following top ten list that I wrote in June of 2007 http://www.asparker.com/ppts0607.html