How a moment of silence boosts your mental resources

The digital age offers so many great business possibilities and helps us access all the information we could ever dream of any time any where. 

BUT what happens to our brain and our mental resources when our attention is constantly hijacked by the next information fix? 

According to an article in Huffington Post about 'Why silence is good for your brain' Studies point out, that noise pollution and digital distractions drain our attentional resources, which means we become mentally fatigued, and may struggle to focus, make decisions, solve problems and come up with new ideas.

The good news is that the brain can restore its cognitive resources by prioritizing time with lower levels of sensory inputs than usually. Recent studies show that taking time for silence restores the nervous system, helps sustain energy, and conditions our mind to be more focused and adaptive to the complex environments in which so many of us now live, work, and lead.

How information overload affects your decision-making

Neuroscientists have demonstrated how our brain shuts down and become less intelligent when it’s exposed to information overload information. MRI scans showed how the test subjects were making less and less qualified decisions the more information they had to relate to.

Now think about the meetings you participate in!

Very often it means endless talking and information sharing. Have you ever thought about, what it does to your focus and decision making in the meeting? And to the outcome of a meeting? And to your energy level and effectivity afterwards?

You might also like this blog post: 3 ways to land before high stakes meetings

This is an awareness point in our work culture at TimeXtender. That is why we use silence during the day. A moment of silence before meetings, presentations and before making important decisions helps us focus and act intentionally from a place of empowerment and pro-activeness, rather than allowing circumstances and what others desire push you from one thing to another. 

Silence is not only about speaking less – it is also an expression of a more attentive mind. “When we think or act from distraction, we gain less. The process of attention when distracted, having lost its focus gives rise to division and assumptions”. - One World Academy

Is silence an awareness point to you?