Quiet Time

In my years of consulting I have spent a  considerable amount of my time discussing and assisting others with stress management.

In dealing with stress there are some things we all have in common.   First off, there  are only 24 hours in the day.   Secondly, that 24 hour clock can be broken down in two ways.   The most common  – work, play and rest.

However, that  24 hour clock can also be broken down  based on our interaction  with others throughout the day, which comes in the form of  group time, one-on-one time and  time to oneself.

Where our individual uniqueness comes in is our comfort zone in terms of how much time we spend at work, play or rest or in group situations, one-on-one encounters and alone.

Invariably, when stress raises its ugly head, we are usually out of  balance (i.e. out of our comfort zone)  with the time allocations we have established for ourselves.   For example, we may be working more hours a day then what we  are accustomed to  or we may be having too many group meetings with others  inside   and outside of work.

When this happens we must take charge of our  plight or face getting ill or offending others (e.g. a spouse because of diminished one-on-one time).   And that’s where “quiet time” comes in – time you spend alone to assess the noise and confusion that infiltrates much of your day.

Whether it’s ten minutes of meditation or yoga everyday, spending a little time in nature or breaking up your day with a walk, quiet time is a vital part of life.

Once you begin to consciously practise this, you will find yourself more productive, better at making decisions and more appreciative of the time you spent with others.

So book off some quiet time each day and recharge your batteries.   I do …  and I  also sleep better at night.