Can You Handle 30 Minutes of Solitude?
I’m having some knee problems, so last week, I went in for an MRI. Because it’s a magnetic imaging procedure, when they position you in the machine, you can’t have your cell phone, or other objects. There’s no TV in the room either. Plus, they don’t want you to move, so I couldn’t bring a magazine or book. So there I was, laying on my back for 30 minutes while the MRI machine did it’s thing. Then, I started to get a bit twitchy. If you know me, you’ll know that while I’m probably not A.D.D., I AM easily distracted. At any given waking moment, I like to be DOING something – reading, checking email, Twittering, writing, scanning something – ANYTHING. But I couldn’t move for a half an hour, so I had to take a deep breath and just listen to my own thoughts. Trust me, in this age of distraction, spending 30 minutes in absolute solitude is a challenge. Frankly, I was way out of practice.
So I’m wondering if that’s something I need to start doing on a daily basis. Spend 30 minutes a day just thinking. Not making notes, checking email, or watching TV. Just thinking, meditating, praying, and/or hearing my own thoughts.
Might be a good habit. Have you tried it? What do you think?
Phil Cooke, PhD. has been called “one of the most innovative communicators of our generation.” As a media producer, writer, speaker, and consultant, his client list includes major film studios and TV networks as well as major Christian organizations like Voice of the Martyrs, The Museum of the Bible, The Salvation Army, and others. He’s also coached and consulted with many of the most influential churches and nonprofit organizations in the world, helping them use media to tell their story. You can hear his podcast here.
