There’s a form of clutter that isn’t talked about much and that is audible clutter. Audible clutter, unlike noise pollution, is something we have control over—most of the time. When, where, why and what we listen to can have a big impact on our productivity, relationships and peace of mind.
A lot of listening is done in the car, and listening to books and podcasts or making phone calls is a great way to use commute time productively, but it is also important to give your ears a break and enjoy the silence of a solo drive, or a conversation with a real person if you have a passenger. It is also nice to be present to the act of driving and to try to notice new things along the route.
Workouts at the gym, walks, runs and hikes are also common places and situations that we distract ourselves with listening, either to music, news or whatever. Music with a powerful beat really motivates me for workouts, but occasionally I will exercise in silence and it is such a great opportunity to really tune in to how the muscles feel, how the breathing is, the heart rate and any feelings that come up. When I walk or hike without music or a podcast in my ears, I can really notice the seasonal changes in nature and get the full emotional and spiritual benefit of being outdoors, not just the physical.
Music is usually a key component of a good party, but as we get older, who wants to have to shout over it or incessantly ask people to repeat themselves? Even at a low volume, music can distract from a great conversation. Even worse, having the television on in the background is a buzz killer, unless the party’s purpose is Wimbledon, the Super Bowl or the Oscars. Consider your guests and use music to fill in conversational lulls and get the party started, but try scaling it way back as people become more engaged with each other.
Self-optimizing podcasts used to inspire me to try new things (Cryotherapy! Creatine! Norwegian 4 x 4 workouts!) but lately they just keep me company. Tim Ferriss and Mel Robbins are like old friends whose voices are comforting but even with all their desperate attempts at excitement about the latest guest they have “wanted to have on the show for years!!”, I’m finding myself tuning out.
Like that old wise man Alan Watts said, “when you get the message, hang up the phone.” If you feel like you’re starting to hear the same information on podcasts over and over (menopause hacks, sleep hacks, how AI is going to save or destroy the world) try taking a break from that form of audible clutter and simply practice some of what you learned.
Watching the news obsessively is a time-sucking activity that can derail productivity and general well-being. Like many of us, I was glued to the TV following every national disaster. No matter that the same “breaking news” story repeated again and again, I was practically hypnotized, stuck to the couch like a broody chicken in a nest. I treated listening to the news like a second job.
Seven years ago I tore the television off the wall and canceled my cable subscription. I let my Sirius XM car radio subscription lapse. I cancelled the New York Times. Guess what? Somehow I still know what’s going on, basically, and my happiness level has risen exponentially. Without TV as an option, I sit. I read. I write. Mornings have become sacred and serene again, setting a wonderful tone for the day.
Evenings have improved also. Instead of zoning out to something mindless, I might watch a movie on my iPad. A lot of people I talk to are “over” the need for the billion-pixel massive screen, surround sound, volume to 11 entertainment systems that once seemed so essential for home movie night. All that quiet can save us a lot of money on equipment and subscriptions (and psychotherapy).
In a recent column I wrote about the “Focused Fifteen,” fifteen minutes a day to handle administrative tasks. How about trying a day without audible clutter? Maybe observe a Silent Sunday as a day to give the ears a rest. Then you can start the week fresh and ready to receive (or reject) whatever audible clutter comes your way.