The “Quiet” Way to Replenishing Your Cognitive Resources
It is said that us humans today are exposed to as much information in one day as a person in the 15th century would be in their entire lifetime. Today, there are very few moments that our mind is actually at rest. From the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep, our brains are busy and buzzing, making sense of the stimuli and information that a modern, connected world makes available to us at all hours of the day.
There was a time when a great majority of us might have argued that quiet time was something only introverts needed or liked. Unsurprisingly. The word “quiet” made its debut into mainstream media on the cover of bestsellers like Susan Cain’s Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. If you are to believe official sales numbers, roughly 30-40 million people in the world began to make a direct link between being an introvert and quiet time.
And while it’s true that introverts can be more comfortable with silence due to the biological nature of their nervous system, which reacts more sensitively to stimuli from their environment than that of extroverts’, in a connected world, quiet time - time away from the “noise” - becomes a form of health-care relevant to everyone.
You’ve probably experienced this: a construction site near your home keeping you up day and night, providing an inescapable sound backdrop to everything you do. Remember the relief you felt when you were no longer exposed to this involuntary noise? Remember how your mood changed when you could finally go about your day in peace again? In today’s world, quiet is more than a cure to auditory noise. In fact, because our brain does important housekeeping when we are in a stimuli-free environment, quiet is a cure to the chronic overstimulation that a world powered by technology has brought along with it. Our brain, at rest, can engage in some cognitive processes that are essential to it functioning properly.
We believe that it’s time to make more space for us away from the noise of everyday life, from deadlines, to-dos, news, and notifications. It is this space that allows us to see clearly and to develop strength, both mentally and physically. Whether you see quiet time as a gift or a challenge, one thing is clear: In a world of “faster, better, more”, slowing down, and making space to be may likely be the way to go further than we expected.
And quiet time does not necessarily mean time spent in silence. It can take many forms and part of the fun is discovering ways that you enjoy spending this “downtime”! To inspire you, we put together a few science-based ways to recharge your batteries quickly, whether you identify as a meditator, non-meditator, introvert or extrovert.
Device-free Quiet Times
At Quiet Social Club, time away from devices and screens) is an important part of the way we approach holistic wellbeing in a connected world. When you spend the majority of oyur day in front of your screens, you want to make sure that your downtime recharges and replenishes your mental facilities. You want to make sure to engage in truly relaxing activities and switching the tab between our work email and Netflix at 6pm might not do the trick in the long-run.
Never before in the history of mankind have we been exposed to this much information on a daily, hourly, minutely and now secondly basis. And when we don’t take breaks from this stream of stimuli, the brain, overstimulated, becomes unable to process information properly. In his book The Shallows, Nicholas Carr explains: “The information flowing into our working memory at any given moment is called our “cognitive load.” When the load exceeds our mind’s ability to store and process the information—when the water overflows the thimble—we’re unable to retain the information or to draw connections with the information already stored in our long-term memory. We can’t translate the new information into schemas.”
Quiet time is a time for our brain to process “overdue” information, to declutter what is no longer needed, and to arrange everything else beautifully into folders that are colour-coded and labelled, ready to be used at a later date again. This downtime is essential to make sense of the information that we were exposed to. Quiet time is a time where nothing new comes in and our brain can finally take the well-deserved break it needs.
Putting it into practice: Next time you want to take a break from working or studying, instead of putting on a show on your tablet or TV, do something that doesn’t involve devices, like going for a walk, doing some stretching or a short meditation . Commit to at least one device-free “break” every day.Spend time alone - even as an extrovert
For those who still think that solitude is the same as loneliness, we have come to change your mind! Solitude is an important time for us, whether you identify as introvert or extrovert. It is in time alone that we can make sense of our day, of our environment, and the things we have experienced.
In her book Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age, Sherry Turkle tells us: “In solitude we find ourselves; we prepare ourselves to come to the conversation with something to say that is authentic, ours. When we are secure in ourselves we are able to listen to other people and really hear what they have to say. And then in conversation with other people, we become better at inner dialogue.” Solitude is an important time for your mental facilities and personal development, for your relationships, for your understanding of yourself.
These days, we often use our phones to fill idle time. We have gotten used to a stream of information, pings and notifications and a temporary “break” from that can feel quite uncomfortable. The quick solution is to let mobile phones fill the breaks - waiting for a car, waiting at the cashier, walking to the supermarket. Yet, it is when we are present in this moment, when we calm the mind, and feel comfortable with ourselves and within ourselves, that true magic can happen. It is then that we allow, in the words of Daniel Gross “our conscious workspace to do its thing, to weave ourselves into the world, to discover where we fit in.”
Putting it into practice: Next time you head to the supermarket or go for a walk, leave your phone at home and stay with yourself. You can practice some mindful walking or just walk and enjoy the landscape. What do you notice?
Implement and honour your personal recharge rituals
The Chinese approach to health is one that puts great emphasis on prevention. By eating the right foods, drinking the right drinks, exercising, taking care of our mind, body, and soul, we can do a little bit now each day, that will be rewarded later through lasting and sustainable health.
Faced with busy schedules, we often wait to take care of our wellbeing until the last minute: The holiday six months from now, the getaway with friends in June. But in a connected world, living a balanced and sustainably energised life is something we need to commit to regularly. If we wait, the “thimble”, as Nicholas Carr called it, might already have overflown.
Invest a little time each day, as thousands of years of practice have shown, can be the best prophylactic. Panned properly, you have much more time for the things that you love doing in your day than you think. An example morning routine could be to stay device-free for the first moments of the day and to meditate or do some breathwork. An example evening routine could be to light a candle, put on our pyjamas and do some journalling. The journeys are endless!
Putting it into practice: Think about something that you would like to do to commemorate the end and the beginning of each day? What do you think you could do to set off to a great start each morning and to end the day properly?
We would love to hear from you! What are your ways to stay energised and recharged? Has this article inspired you? Message us on @quietsocialclub or send us an email!
A few questions for pondering
When was a time you enjoyed just having a quiet evening or afternoon to yourself? Do you think you can make space for this more often?
Do you identify as an extrovert or introvert? If so, can you see aspects of the opposite in you as well?
