Women and leaders, if you are anything like me, you invest a great deal of time into ensuring everyone is “OK” and settled before you think about yourself. We don’t appreciate we’re working ourselves into complete exhaustion until it’s too late. At this time of year, it is especially important for women to negotiate with work colleagues, family and friends for ‘quiet time’. You may think you don’t need it – but you do. The busier we get the more we need to build ‘time out’ into our days.
I can hear the cry from here – you don’t know my life. I wish I could get time out.
Work’s busy, home is busy, and then there’s the kids.
I get all that. Been there, done that, actually still doing that. But quiet time and solitude is where we not only charge our human batteries, it’s where we get innovation and activate our creativity. Even a few minutes in absolute silence eases stress and quietens the body, easing the muscles and clears the mind.
As a Christian businesswoman, wife, mother or friend, quiet time is a biblical Principal.
As soon as the meal was finished, he insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he dismissed the people. With the crowd dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could be by himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night. Matthew 14:22-23 (The Message)
Now we may not be able to climb mountains, or stay late into the night, but we can get quiet time.
Let me give a little insight into my busy noisy family life. I’m part of a big loud Irish family. Growing up Christmas, Easter and any excuse for a family gathering was noisy, fun filled and pretty crazy. My grandparents and parents introduced ‘quiet time’ into our family. Regardless of who was in the house on these family/friends gathering days, at exactly 2pm for 1 hour the house had to be silent. No TV, Radio, Games, Speaking – nothing. Just reading, sleeping or anything that didn’t make a sound.
It was glorious. Even when the hour was up, the quietness continued.
As an adult I have introduced the same into my home. But now it’s not just family gatherings it’s after a busy day or a need for everything noisy in the house to be turned off. This practice delights me because I tend to be reserved and like time alone. But amazingly, everyone in our extended family has introduced this practice, regardless of their inherent behavioural style.
From leaders in the corporate world, to women with their own business, to moms with kids who are full of energy – I encourage you to practice quiet time.
Remember you are a leader, you put processes and procedures into practice every day. So, figure out how to strategically plan ‘quiet’ in your workspace or home life.
You may not be able to quieten your world for an hour – but you, at least must give yourself permission to have quiet time. Try to schedule time away from email, phones, skype, Facebook , texting, anything digital. Don’t worry, you’re not missing anything that won’t be there in 30 minutes time.
God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to you word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. Psalm 23:1-3 (MSG)
Seems to me someone whose thoughts are higher than ours knew the importance of creating quiet places for us!!! Just saying.
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This article first appeared on Christian Woman & Co, supporting Christian women in business and mompreneurs.
Carol Pocklington is a Human Performance Accelerator. She has worked with Hugh Massie since 2001 as the DNA Behavior concept was conceived. She works with people and businesses worldwide. Her real-world application of behavioural insights, gives her the capability to serve as a business strategist, coach, mentor, and trainer. She is also a prolific blogger, a public speaker and author, specializing in human behavioural insights.
