Shhh! (Anything Can Become Clutter, Even Sound)

Working out of my satellite office (Corner Bakery) last week, I thought I was losing my mind.

There was a beeping, a burble, a… Something.  And it drove me buggy.

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 I checked my phone for notifications and closed the apps.  That wasn’t it.

Checked my laptop and ended up turning the whole thing off.

Still, the sound continued.  Checked my IPad, nope – not that either.

Finally, I determined I was hearing the woman working behind me, on either her laptop / phone / tablet, etc, and her devices were REALLY LOUD.

My hearing and listening skills are a strength.  I’m good at hearing sounds and nuances that others may miss.

  • I can tell if something is wrong with my car based on how it sounds (occasionally);
  • As a musician, I notice if an instrument or vocalist is sharp or flat (and it occasionally causes me to wince);
  • I still have mom-ears at night, able to respond to sounds in my house and from my kids out of a sound sleep; and
  • In coaching, I can perceive a lot by what a person says and also how it is said, and also what isn’t said.

But…..Sometimes I hear too much or too well.  Some days, or in some situations, I become overwhelmed by too much sound, and then it becomes noise!

We aren’t always aware of sound, and certainly not aware of auditory clutter and the effects it can have on us.  If we’re overwhelmed or stressed, or struggling to focus or find clarity,  sound clutter (or NOISE!!) might be part of the problem!

Sometimes, to get organized and be productive, we need to clear our auditory clutter, just like clearing physical or visual clutter.
How do we clear sound clutter?
  • Be intentional with your listening.  I listened to inspirational and organizing pod-casts on a road trip this past weekend, a positive use of my time.
  • Step away from your devices once in a while!
  • Turn. It. Off.   Some folks leave the TV or talk radio on for “background” noise or for company.  But when the content is negative, inflammatory or petty, ask yourself if that’s the company you really want. The media streams news (good or bad, but usually bad) 24-7, but we don’t have to listen or engage.
  • Be intentional with your TV viewing.  A class participant mentioned that the DVRs a upbeat and informational Sunday morning news show and watches it during the week when he has the time, a much more positive choice for TV viewing than ‘whatever is on’.
  • Bring music into your life.  Craft your own own playlists on your devices (smartphone, Google Play, Pandora, Spotify, etc.), and be intentional with what you hear.
  • Be aware of the sounds around you.  Turn off everything, then sit quietly.  What else do you hear?  Wind? Quiet motor noise (like a ceiling fan)? White noise? Or whistles, ticking, humming or other sounds that we might not notice consciously but that our brains are still processing unconsciously?
  • Appreciate the sounds of nature.  These can become noise, just like anything else (birds chirping at 4 am?), but they typically create positive feelings, to calm or energize us, too.
  • Close your eyes (where applicable).  Cutting off one sense gives your other senses a chance to make sense of things.  I often close my eyes when I am listening intently (while listening to music or to other people speak) so that I don’t get distracted with visual clutter.

 

Some sounds are amazing!  But in the same way that some stuff can become clutter, so, too, some sounds can become clutter.   Open up your ears, be aware of the sounds around you and be intentional about your listening!