35,000 Feet and Still Can’t Get Any Peace!

Time is the most precious thing to us, there is never enough time for anything, it flies by so fast and we aren’t getting any more of it.

I am time poor, I have so much going on that consumes it, however the type of time that I am most lacking is quiet time, quiet time that allows me to think. Think constructively and process everything that is going on, has gone on and what will be going on.

Having a young family ensures that home time doesn’t allow the headspace I need, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Work is a million miles per hour so no chance there!

I do drive a lot where I can sometimes manage to achieve some grey matter exercise, but more often than not technology or a phone call will railroad any trail of thought I may have!

One place I have found perfect for getting some good quality headspace to think and process the mess that is in my head is on an aeroplane.

Flight mode on, distractions blocked, nowhere else I can be even if I wanted to be and a few hours of a consistent monotonous hum and quiet. Maybe even a beer or two to help the creative thoughts flow.

However….. (Rant inbound!) Airlines seem to take this opportunity to use the PA system to, very loudly, interrupt valuable headspace and chat utter nonsense at you as many times as they possibly can!!

Buy this duty free, order this meal, don’t eat nuts, enter this raffle, donate to this charity, pay attention to this safety briefing, the temperature where you were, the temperature where you’re going, pilot and co-pilot introductions.

A barrage of words that I don’t want to hear! The thing is, they don’t do it all in one go, they spread it out over the course of the flight, and remind you of stuff you may have missed because you didn’t give a shit… Like the price of that perfume or aftershave…

This is a flight not a shopping channel, serve us our food and drink and make sure we are comfortable, that’s all we require you to do, unfortunately however, their bosses are now forcing these poor people to interrupt my very valuable thinking time!

I have gone to extremes of face masking and ear plugs to help try and block it all out, but they always manage to find some way of getting through the shields!

The worst thing about it is, once they’ve interrupted my train of thought, that’s it… It’s gone!

I could have been halfway towards solving one of life’s great mysteries or coming up with the next big business idea only to announce that they are now coming through the cabin to sell scratch cards…

Scratch cards!! On a plane… Do us a favour and have a day off!

I appreciate some announcements are necessary, like I need to know how, at the point of failure to all four engines, I need to put my head between my legs and kiss my arse goodbye, and that I should attend to my own face mask before helping others…

Because I have every desire to arrive at my destination and arrive in one piece!

Surely there must be a better way of communicating it all, like I say, maybe all in one go and not sporadically over the flight!

I don’t necessarily want to be entertained al the time, sometimes I want and need to sit there and think. It’s surprising how much good that will do.

Some of my best ideas come when I’ve had nothing else rattling around in my brain. Also, some of the things I’ve been worrying about suddenly seem a lot less significant once I’ve had time to quietly think them through.

I don’t need another productivity app, a meditation subscription or someone telling me how to optimise my morning routine to get the best out of my day…

I just need a bit of uninterrupted peace and quiet!

Take it easy!

TM

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