Monday July 6, 2009 - NULLIFYING THE NUISANCE OF NOISE
Robert J. Tamasy
Posted: Thursday, July 9, 2009
We labour in a world of noise, a cacophony of competing messages and mind-numbing media. Cell phone ringtones beckon, alerting us to incoming calls and texts. Computers beep to announce the arrival of new e-mail. MP3 players and iPods serenade us with our favourite tunes. TVs and radios blare - not just music, but with an incessant avalanche of words. Never in the history of mankind have so many said so much about so little.
In a class I have taught on business communications, we discussed how different kinds of noise can inhibit communicating effectively, whether on a one-to-one basis or in groups of various sizes. A sudden crash outside a meeting site, for instance, can disrupt discussion. Sirens, traffic and construction noises on the street outside can distract. Even a squeaky chair in the meeting room can disturb the proper flow of words and ideas.
There are other kinds of "noise" that can adversely affect how we carry out our work responsibilities. Fears and worries tend to crowd out other thoughts. Stress and work pressures can diminish innovative thinking. Jealousy, anger, bitterness and envy create "noise" in our minds, keeping us from thinking and performing at our best.
Although we sometimes feel overwhelmed by the clamour of all this noise - external and internal -at the same time we have grown accustomed to it. Entering a quiet room we feel tempted to find something, anything, to dispel the silence. Noise may be a nuisance, but we have largely forgotten how to appreciate life without it. Stillness and rest are no longer qualities of life toward which we feel drawn.
This is unfortunate, because in the midst of calm and quiet we sometimes can find ourselves being the most creative. Ideas and visions have time and place to form, coalesce, mature and give birth. We can sift through and sort out the important from the irrelevant, even lift the magnificent from the mundane. The Bible speaks about the virtues of intentionally withdrawing from the surrounding clamour to think, to meditate, to reflect - to recharge our mental, emotional and spiritual batteries:
Escaping the noise enables us to realign our priorities. Why are we here? Why are we doing what we are doing? These are honest questions, examining our inner motivations, but they are rarely considered or answered properly in the midst of the busyness and turmoil of the day. "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10).
Escaping the noise provides the opportunity to receive divine wisdom. When seeking direction or solutions to difficult problems, there is no better source for much-needed insight than God. "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.... Wait for the Lord and keep his way" (Psalm 37:7, 34).
Escaping the noise allows us to reflect on proven principles for succeeding. As the Master Designer, God has established principles for life and work that have proved themselves through the centuries. We need to revisit them often. "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful" (Joshua 1:8).
Escaping the noise gives us time to reaffirm our convictions. Perhaps many of the unethical, scandalous decisions of top leaders could have been prevented if only they had taken time to withdraw and reconsider the impact and scope of their actions. "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41).
Robert J. Tamasy is vice president of communications for Leaders Legacy, Inc., a non-profit corporation based in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. A veteran of 38 years in professional journalism, he is the author of Business At Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Today's Workplace and has coauthored with David A. Stoddard, The Heart of Mentoring: 10 Proven Principles for Developing People to Their Fullest Potential. For more information, see www.leaderslegacy.com or www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
1. Do you agree with the contention that our contemporary workplace surrounds us with "noise"? Why or why not?
2. What types of noise typically are the most problematic for you?
3. Have you ever attempted to withdraw from the continuous noise of everyday life? If so, how have you done so - and how well has that worked for you?
4. Which of the reasons suggested for periodically escaping the noise around us to seek peace and quiet is or would be most useful for you?
NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to review some other passages that relate to this topic, consider the following verses:
1 Kings 19:11-18; Psalm 119:33-40; Jeremiah 33:1-3; Romans 12:2; Philippians 4:8,9