I need silence I said to my husband recently.
He turned off the television and I laughed no, no, not that kind of silence, I need to be still, to be quiet.
Why? 
Because we are bombarded daily with noise from device notifications, traffic, car horns, radio, chatter, workmen, meetings in progress, people talking on phones.
The noise is endless and with so many of us starting our working day early and finishing later than our regulatory working hours, there is no time to think and be still.
Relaxation is confined to the past and most of us plan on the go.
I have to book a day away from work, not to catch up but to catch my breath.
I thought that age and experience would help me slow down and not take life too seriously.
There is a loss of slowness and no real-time for relaxation and reflection.
Life is frenetic and finding time to step away from the noise is difficult when there are so many other interruptions.
When I feel stress mounting I distract myself by looking out of the office window and lose myself in thought.
Taking time to be quiet can have a positive impact on your day.
Try it
Noise affects our stress levels and our well-being.
When I feel pressure and there is a lot of noise, I can’t think straight, I feel the rise of panic in my chest and my heart beats faster.
Silence is relaxing it helps reduce cortisol and adrenalin levels in the body.
The physical act of sitting down with no distraction helps us to relax and unwind.
And helps us be in the present.
Ten minutes of meditation can make the difference to an otherwise busy day.
Try and sit or lie down ideally in another area of your office or home where you can be reflective and let your mind wander.
Sit in silence and experience quiet, focus on your breath and let your mind slip away consciously.
Working without noise or music in the background can help concentration and focus too.
If you are reading this you’re probably thinking she’s gone mad, when is there ever any time to sit down and be quiet without any interruptions?
Alan Lightman in his TED article and it really is worth a read describes that living in the digital age means humans are unable to sit down for 15 minutes and do nothing without being distracted. 
A challenge for you
Sit in a chair for 15 minutes away from any interruptions, external stimuli like phones, televisions and general noise.
Try to relax, take long slow deep breaths, be in the moment and monitor what happens?
Share with me what you experience.
Did it make a difference?
Further reading for you
https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-owe-it-to-ourselves-to-spend-quiet-time-alone-every-day/
https://onewomansview.co.uk/stress/
https://onewomansview.co.uk/staying-calm-in-the-fast-lane/
