Shhhh...

I think I'm addicted to now. By that I mean I start to get a bit twitchy if something is going on and I don't know about it! If there is a big news story breaking, I'll be on Twitter for the rest of the day and watching BBC News 24 because I have to be the first to know. Even if something more low key is going on, I'll be checking my phone constantly to keep in the loop.

It can be quite difficult to switch off, both in the sense of turning off phones/computers but also mentally switching off. We love to have 'stuff' going on, whether it's listening to music while working or leaving the telly on for background noise while doing the washing up (I am as guilty as anyone!).

The value of silence tends to get lost in all of that. But for me, silence is so important. Firstly it gives me a chance to relax and unwind a bit. It also gives me a proper opportunity to think about things without getting distracted by a new notification or a farmville request. Silence in conversations can't last more than about 5 seconds without someone uttering the words 'well, this is awkward'. In church services, during the prayers they will often say 'let's keep a few moments of silence' which generally lasts no longer than 20 seconds. Silence needs more time than that and I think silence deserves more respect than that.

So why not try it: just for 5 minutes, turn off your gadgets, sit down and just enjoy the silence - I dare you.