I've stopped listening to podcasts
I've stopped listening to podcasts for the past week or two. I think I've reached the level of abuse and my brain has lost all that 'free time'.
These are the quotas of "free time" that I have;
- Prayer time (inappropriate & prohibited)
- Driving time
- Time spent on public transportation
- After work till sleep
I spend a lot of free time commuting on public transportation (One hour in the morning and two hours in the evening, train + bus), so I fill it with listening to podcasts because I don't want to waste time and want to be productive.
But since last year (after listening to more than 50 podcast episodes), the brain has started to feel saturated. Because I filled the number 2 and 3 slot with a podcast, there's no slot for being 'bored'. It's been a long time since I've 'thrown out trash' in written form. So he (pronounced brain) has no room to express himself. As I realized I was zoning out a lot during my commute time, I wasn't in my head, and I wasn't actively listening to the podcast.
I think so.
I remember a word from Naval something like this:
"Problems occur in human life because humans cannot sit for 30 minutes in a room without doing anything."
Let that sink in for a moment. That's right. Not able to think. Sit with yourself and your thoughts. We tend to always 'fill the time'.
Let's talk about prayer time. I believe most Muslim working people have a focus (khusyuk) problem during prayer. Wonder why? Because that is the only free time that has no distractions, it's just you, the surroundings, and God.
Prayer ➡️ no distractions (screens etc.) ➡️ easy to think ➡️ think a lot ➡️ not focus (not khusyuk)
How did I handle this situation?
Increase the "no distractions" time. No need to listen to music while running, no need to listen to the radio while driving. These are the times when the thinking takes place. So, the prayer is not disturbed, able to focus peacefully.
My brain decompression schedule is set on weekends during my long brisk walking sessions. For me, this is my precious personal time and I really enjoy it. I started doing it because I just broke up and wanted to calm myself down. Now it has become a habit.
I also bought a dumbbell to expand my options. Sometimes if you're stuck at home, you still can't calm down. So I learned that physical activity really helps me to balance my emotions and mental state.
If it's a weekday, after work i'll jog at 7pm till maghrib. Honestly, this is the best habit ive been consistently doing for the past 2 years, and i don't regret doing it!
I have also reduced podcasts. It has a relatively low learning rate of return. Lots of noise. Especially poor quality podcasts. I removed the poor ones and kept the high-quality podcasts.
The ability to get through empty & boring moments is one thing or skill that is not highly valued. It is important. If we always have to be online, connected & can't be alone without any interruptions or distractions, our mental health will suffer.
To be honest, the dullness and silence of the mind are not taken for granted nowadays, as we consume inputs every day without having time to consciously produce outputs.
Be careful and have time to think and gain mental clarity. Through this, we will have more ideas or reflections and the most important state of mind :
"Clear of Thoughts" + "Uncluttered Mind" = Happy life :)