My aunt owned a huge farm in Oman. When my brother and I were little, we spent days there chasing each other between the palm trees, watching her farm workers pick dates and enjoying our time with our cousins. It was a mystical land for us where we could wander endlessly, lie down on the grass to talk about our aspirations, and a place to just play. When the clock struck 8pm, we would be drained and ready to hit the bed.
There were no car horns, loud music or mobile phone alerts. All we heard was nature’s sounds and our own laughter. It was a place that bred imagination.
On a recent workday, besides hearing my colleagues discuss the agenda for the week, I heard the sound of electric drills, hammers banging and construction workers shouting at each other. It went on for the entire eight hours I spent in the office. I then had to meet a friend who wanted to consult me for her new venture at a busy cafe in the mall.
This experience is not unusual. Most of us living in cosmopolitan cities operate in noisy environments. The use of multiple electronic devices and spending time in busy places means we rarely experience silent bliss.
I, for instance, have grown so used to the noise that when I am alone at home I play some music. I cannot even stand leaving my phone on silent.
But all this noise we are surrounded by is not good for us. According to the World Health Organisation, 40 per cent of Europe is exposed to noise levels that can lead to disturbed sleep and heart-related diseases. Other studies in the United States say that many Americans suffer from hearing impairments as a result of noisy environments.
In a report about the effects of these conditions, Julian Treasure, the chairman of the Sound Agency, said open-plan office environments, in which employees’ desks are situated close enough to overhear each other’s conversations, can reduce productivity by 66 per cent. And classrooms that are noisy can prevent students from hearing 50 per cent of what is being taught.
Despite all of this evidence, some of us have no choice but to work in such environments.
So what can be done to help us enjoy silence once in a while and for the noise not to affect our health and productivity? A few suggestions below could come in handy:
• Close your office door and turn off any noise.
I did not notice how I developed my habit was until my friend pointed it out. “You can’t sit in silence, can you? You have to have something playing in the background,” she told me. It hit me just how much I am used to noise. I would have music playing in my car, in my office and whenever I was alone. Many of us try to fill silence with some noise either by playing music or leaving office doors open. A friend of mine cannot go to sleep at night without having the TV turned on. I gave it a try and did not play any background music when I arrived early to the office. To my surprise, the silence was healthier. It boosted my mood, and made me productive.
• Plug in your earphones.
If you do work in an open space and cannot escape the chit-chat of your colleagues, then replace that noise with a sound you like. Plug in some headphones and listen to mediation music that aids positive thinking. Another option is to use noise-cancelling earplugs.
• Escape to silence.
If your routine does not permit you to cancel out noise, then go away on a mini-retreat every now and then. You do not have to travel overseas; instead, go to a quiet park to spend the day with a good book or unwind at a spa. Some people go as far as heading to silent retreat destinations – resorts where people are not allowed to speak to each other.
The noise penetrating our lives has a huge effect on our health and productivity sometimes without us even realising. Silence is becoming so rare, and is a valuable ingredient in the recipe of productivity. It would not hurt to reach for it every now and then. In fact, it could turn out to be beneficial.
Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati writer based in Abu Dhabi. Follow her on Twitter at @manar_alhinai
Follow us on Twitter @Ind_Insights
