Silence & Solitude Pt. 2: 6 Ways to Unplug

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Putting technology aside can, surprisingly or unsurprisingly, be a difficult task to do.

Thankfully, there are a handful of ways that you can unplug and experience the focus and peace of silence and solitude.

If you’ve read Silence & Solitude Pt. 1 already, you know how valuable putting the phone down and “unplugging from the world” can be to your health and recovery. Regardless of whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, none of us are capable of truly processing the amount of information and socialization that we’re asked of these days. Being an extrovert is the default “healthy” personality in our culture, while taking time for yourself is considered worrisome most of the time. No matter our default personality type, we all have an unhealthy relationship with technology and “connection,” but what do we do about it?

Seeking out and protecting silence and solitude is easier said than done most of the time, especially with our phones. Our personal mobile devices have long since surpassed the likes of cars and houses as our most vital tools to modern living. While we can’t deny and block out everything that can distract us from health and peace, we can take small steps to staying away from them for a bit. Below are six small, concrete ways that you can work towards a more silent, peaceful, and focused life.

Published

11/04/2022

Category

Music

Author

Ty Walker

#1

Get an early start to your day.

This tip’s especially helpful for you if you live with a decent amount of people. Your kids, siblings, roommates, or significant others create constant noise around you. This makes moments of silence hard to find. If your schedule allows, try getting up 30 to 60 minutes before the rest of the household. Wake up, grab a cup of coffee or tea and some breakfast, and enjoy the calm and silence. If you live alone, apply this philosophy to your work schedule. Get to work earlier and take some time to yourself. Just sit in your car for a bit if your work situation can’t provide that silence.

#2

Reduce household noise during tasks.

This tip’s for me especially. I’m the type of person that always has music, podcasts, or Youtube videos playing as I clean the house and get ready in the morning. Then I’m always asking myself why I struggle to focus and have clarity in my thoughts. Take a look at your daily and weekly and decide which ones can be sound-free. If you find yourself needing a soundtrack or background noise to dinner prep or morning hygiene, try tapping into the stillness instead. Keeping up on content while your hands are busy isn’t always the healthy way to do things.

#3

Make your vehicle a noise-free zone.

If you’re single, this tip connects well with getting an early start. In the morning and at any time during the day, use your car as a quiet space. When you find yourself traveling alone, keep the radio off every once and awhile. If you have a long commute, this can be an ideal time to not only enjoy the quiet, but to plan or reflect about the day. This can also help with on-the-road conflict.It allows you to be more present and handle road rage-inducing incidents with a little more calm and resolve.

#4

Take off your headphones.

This tip will probably be a hard one for millennials and onward. If you’re anything like me, you’ve grown up with an iPod or iPhone and a set of headphones in your ears nearly all the time. It’s easy to wear headphones as a sort of audio autopilot, but you might find some mental relief after not using them for a bit. The simple act of removing headphones for a long period of time can release the feeling of always needing to be constantly stimulated and absorbed every second of every day.

#5

Take “sacred pauses” throughout the day.

For many people, prolonged silence can feel uncomfortable. If that’s how you feel, start small and grow from there. You don’t have to meditate for 20 minutes every day to reap the benefits of silence and solitude. But you can start to incorporate “sacred pauses” into your day. Sacred pauses are like mini-meditations. They’re especially beneficial just after waking and just before bedtime. We typically wait for our one or two week vacation each year to allow ourselves to rest, when we should be retreating a little bit each day.

#6

Try taking a silent retreat.

Speaking of retreating! If all fails or you just need a little more, you can try your hand at taking a silent retreat. A silent retreat is a fantastic way to give your mind all of the previously mentioned benefits in a very structured format. There are many places that create a guided, sometimes spiritually-focused, method to getting prolonged solitude and silence. While you can rely on groups to facilitate that for you, you can experience a silent retreat all on your own. It’s as simple as taking a vacation without company.

Conclusion

Key takeaways

  • Wake up or get to the office before the noise of the day takes over.
  • Keep your phone and TV off as you do work around the house and get ready for the day.
  • Use your vehicle as a “silent sanctuary” rather than a noisy vessel to transport you around.
  • Learn to live without headphones on.
  • Start small and take just two minutes out of your day to rest and reflect.
  • Take a silent retreat if you have to, either through an organization or on your own.

Challenge

Apply to your life

Try out at least one of these tips for silence and solitude this week. While you can jump right into taking a silent retreat, what’s important is developing a healthier, calmer, and more focused lifestyle in general. So, put the headphones up, turn the radio off, and take time to pause and reflect.

Conclusion

Key takeaways

  • Wake up or get to the office before the noise of the day takes over.
  • Keep your phone and TV off as you do work around the house and get ready for the day.
  • Use your vehicle as a “silent sanctuary” rather than a noisy vessel to transport you around.
  • Learn to live without headphones on.
  • Start small and take just two minutes out of your day to rest and reflect.
  • Take a silent retreat if you have to, either through an organization or on your own.

Challenge

Apply to your life

Try out at least one of these tips for silence and solitude this week. While you can jump right into taking a silent retreat, what’s important is developing a healthier, calmer, and more focused lifestyle in general. So, put the headphones up, turn the radio off, and take time to pause and reflect.

Credit where credit is due

Portions of this article were originally sourced from The Piedmont Healthcare, healthline.com, and artofliving.org. If you would like to check out additional recovery articles, videos, and podcast episodes, check us out at artisticrecovery.org.

Ty Walker

Ty Walker is a contract copywriter and graphic designer with a huge heart for recovery. He has spent the last five years serving churches and recovery communities with his creative skills. Ty spends his free time writing poetry and fictional short stories as well as hiking, biking, and kayaking with his wife, Angie, and his two daughters, Winter and Ember.

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