Do you ever get tired of it?
I do…
Everywhere you turn these days, someone or something is trying to interrupt your thinking and grab your attention. From audio to visual… You name it! We are bombarded like never before as a society.
Twitter Chirp…
Cell phone ringing…
Text message sounds…
Blogs…
Billboards…
Writing blogs…
Facebook… Someone wrote on your wall
Twitter chirp again…
Text message sounds again…
Your other phone rings… At your office… At your home…
Voice mails… On your cell phone, office and home.
Email inbox is filling up…
TV…
Commercials…
Twitter chirp…
Text message sounds…
All of that happened is the last 30 seconds!
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a hater of technology or our culture! I love it, however, noise can be toxic to our souls.
So here is my question… I would love to hear your take on this… How do you filter the noise??? Is it even possible to balance the noise so you still stay connected to God, your soul and to our culture?
Hey Buddy – good question!
It is tough but you have to be deliberate about it. First, turn the twitter chirp off and then only check it on a schedule that you decide (like no more than once an hour). Same goes for email. Don’t be a slave to it, decide when you are going to set aside time for it, then close it down. Studies have shown that we are not very productive when we ‘multi-task’. Better to focus on one thing at a time and push other stuff aside while focusing on that.
This post might be of some help regarding your inbox: http://ow.ly/7NTg
For each person, it is different. For me, I return to nature. I walk, ride my bike, sit and enjoy the sites around me. It takes a conscious effort to do this every day. I leave technology behind and take the time to reflect, pray, talk, and listen.
I also limit the time I spend with Facebook, blogging, emailing, phone calls, computer time, television, all of the technology that pulls me away. And with my business, I also get the time to drive, a lot. This gives me the chance to reflect and pause as well.
The last few months, I have been making God my priority, and as a result I have been able find the time to reconnect with Him and with myself. This has been one of the most rewarding and challenging times for me. Focus on God and your mountains crumble, focus on your problems and you stumble. I’ve spent too much time stumbling, it is now time for me to focus on God and let Him make my mountains crumble!!!
Buddy,
I’d have to say that everyone probably handles this differently. I love the noise. I love it and manage it. The alerts, the bells, the ringing, it’s all background to whatever I’m working on. Focus is vital. Focus on the term paper writing, music in the background. Talk on the phone, alerts in the background. Prayer, I don’t even notice the background. It’s weird, when the background isn’t there, I notice it’s missing. I’ve gotten so accustomed to it, it’s not a distraction anymore, just background.
Great question! How do I filter the noise? I have learned that I need to change my filters now and then. In the past I would respond to every email (even the junk). Now I just click “delete” if I see that it’s junk. Sorry to all the people who may be sending me these types of emails. What I call “generic emails” (non-personal, non-informational or non-inspirational) also tend to fly into the trash. I never do those, “if you sent this to 5 people you will have good luck or ____(fill in the blank). I delete them with no guilt or remorse.
Facebook and Twitter? Sometimes it’s just “noise” but sometimes it can be a useful communication tool keeping us in touch and being a source of encouragement. I have recently used it to get back in touch with some people I went to school with. I pray that God will use it for good.
The “noise” can be a distraction so I have to be careful. At times I can also be so tuned into something that I might miss opportunities. Such a delicate balance isn’t it?
I was forwarded this youtube the other day that pretty much says exactly what you are saying. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgJ-w5GSaYo Satan wants all of these things to distract us. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not very good at balancing it all and look forward to hearing others responses.
Yup-I totally agree-we have to be deliberate and purposeful with our time.
I occasionally take a media fast. No phone, no laptop, no tv, music limited to worship times during the week, if at all. It’s hard at first, but after the first few days one can really start to reconnect internally and with God. You begin to realize how distracted and how much time you spend. These things create what I call the “tyranny of the urgent”. These urgent things will monoplize our time and we’ll find ourselves ineffective and unattentive to the necessary thing.
Great post! Working a full time job…running a coaching business…and ministry with FPU…This is a struggle for me. Add into reading a book or two between answering emails and posting to blogs. Last week, Justin C. and I took a day to hike Vroman’s Nose in Middleburgh NY. No cell phones, emails or blogs. I didn’t think I would make it! Afterwards I was so happy that i had the chance to get away from it.Sun, Silence and a Falcon to boot! Now I am trying to schedule full days at least once a week.
This is still a struggle for me but I won’t give up. I believe it is absolutely necessary to take a break to make deposits back to my soul.
Greg, Great advice….thanks for the practical tips…..I’ll check it out!
Jennifer, You know I’m going to steal this…Focus on God and your mountains crumble, focus on your problems and you stumble. I’ve spent too much time stumbling, it is now time for me to focus on God and let Him make my mountains crumble!!!
Keep retreating like you do….great stuff!
Justin, your just a freak of nature….I mean that in the most endearing way:)
Sue, What a got from your comment was sometimes we are so tuned into culture that we tune out God…..I’m using that!
Mandy, I look forward to checking it out!!
John, I did a blog fast last year and plan on doing it every year as a discipline…sounds like it would be a great idea to fast from all tech….for a while….btw lobe the tyranny of the urgent.
Steve, Keep hiking….that’s what Jesus did to refresh His soul!.
Great topic…There was a story on the news the other day about a bunch of college kids, who were made to do an experiment by a Professor, where they had their cell phones taken away for 10 days. It was amazing how depressed and withdrawn these kids felt the first few days. Then, they all discovered that they can do other things and explore other interests with their time – the time they normally spent texting friends. It really gave them all an incredible new perspective on how they were spending their time and life. I think technology is great BUT I think it is difficult for us to turn off. Technology habits make it hard to connect to each other face to face but also to find that quiet time we all need, especially for family, God and prayer. I know i need to make a concerted effort to stay away from the computer, cell phone, etc so that I can get rid of the noise.
This is something that I can relate to but in that mix is my daughters calling me every two seconds for something.. The demands of being in the loop is hard. But I think the best way to think about it is like this. God listens to our prayers and let’s face it we do it alot. And he is able to listen to each one of us and still watch over us and help us. If god can do it – can’t I? We are ultimatly out to become more christ-like. So if I have to be interupted and am not able to get what I would like to get done in a day, I say to myself – God knows that things are crazy and he hasn’t turned his back on me yet – there will be our time later to connect and he is with me always. The only best reference I can give for a visual – and I know, I had to add it, is Bruce Almighty – remember when he was listening to all the prayers? Wanted to put into an email and clicked YES to everything.. a good outcome didn’t come from it. So take the interuptions – it could be worse and just take one step at a time…
I guess we need to go back and remember what life was like when we ddn’t have all things that we have now…It is amazing, everyone thinks like they can’t life without it, but we have all proven we can… In order to hear God’s voice we need to “Be STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD!!!”What would happen if we all put our distractions aside for one day? Image what would we would actually hear Or maybe what we wouldn’t hear… Noise in it self is not bad, but we can”t allow it to be all that we hear… .. I have also found that walking hears clear the head and the mind…noise is everywhere…it’s up to us on how we handle it…Satan roars around seeking whom he can attack and uses any way possible to do it… Stay focused on the things of the Lord only and we will all do great.
Hi Pastor Buddy
Those that seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, all these
things will be added unto us…Priorities…Right-yield Peace and much more.
How to be successful: Joshua 1:8 Meditate on the word…you will make your way successful…Micah 6:8 KJV God’s definition of sucess…Integrity, Compassion (to others), Humility (before God and man) all done Faithfully (consitently)…It helps to know the times (Isiah 60, 1 Peter 4:17). Darkness has pierced the world-we are the light (Jesus in us) to overcome the darkness…We are now to juidge ourselves…Remember the Ester anointing was really a question? Are you prepared for such a time as this…Remember,
Joel said God will pour out His Spirit on all mankind…Fasten your seatbelt…
God Bless your great servant leadership to the Body of Christ…and your congruent and aligned vision to Jer. 29:11 NIV
Jim and Nancy Keating