THE SILENT TREATMENT
five easy ways you can find peace in your busy life:
SCHEDULE CALM: half-an-hour of silence first thing every morning is the ideal, says Szkiler, but even ten minutes is better than nothing.
She sits in a favourite chair, alone and in silence, to contemplate. ‘ I have a notebook because I find I have most of my creative ideas in this time.
‘If I can do this then I find that the rest of the day runs smoother — I’m a calmer, more pleasant person.’
Science backs this up: giving your brain quiet time activates its Default Mode network — a circuit of inter- connected brain activity important for creative thought. TURN OFF BLEEPS: Reset your computer and phone not to give auditory signals or swap to a pleasant sound (Szkiler’s phone uses birdsong).
If you’ve gone with the trend for an open plan kitchen/living area, but are finding it noisy, add rugs and sound-absorbing throws and cushions. One company has an ingenious approach to stop echoes in conservatories and open-plan rooms: wool, cloudshaped sound absorbers that attach to the ceiling ( woollyshepherd.co.uk). ANTI-SOCIAL APPS: Use apps that track your friends’ movements so you can avoid being interrupted by them.
cloak uses data from Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to warn you if friends and colleagues are nearby.
Split works in a similar way, and you can even select particularly noisy people from your contacts book you want to avoid. a red arrow on your phone’s map will show you the best escape route. GO ON A RETREAT: Take yourself away from the clamour of life and try a retreat: the brave can try a silent retreat ( penhurst.org.uk offer a silent christian retreat; gaiahouse.
co.uk has a Buddhist one). Talking is allowed on most retreats, though there’s an emphasis on peace and mindfulness, as at the Sharpham Trust in Devon ( sharpham trust.org).
If it’s technology that’s causing you stress, try a digital detox (15 million adults have tried this, according to an Ofcom survey.
Tanya Goodin, who founded Time to log Off 18 months ago, says demand for their digital detox retreats has spiralled.
FIND GREEN SPACE: Studies prove getting outside in nature reduces stress hormones, blood pressure, heart rate and muscle tension, and even increases longevity.
Scientists think it’s at least partly due to the noise factor: not only are green spaces quieter than urban environments, they demand less of our conscious attention because they are not bombarding us with stimulation, says Dr Ramlakhan.