A few weeks ago, I saw an Apple commercial for the new “Siri” feature. Siri is essentially a voice activated digital assistant. You say, “Where can I get Thai food near here?” And Siri responds almost instantly with an answer.

I thought that was an awesome feature until I saw the new commercial and got terrified.

In the ad, we see a guy jogging. Mid-stride he asks Siri to read him a text message. She does and he then dictates a response. Why is that so frightening to me?

Because we’re running out of single use activities.

When I jog, I’m usually trying to clear my head. I’m a multi-task junkie and am constantly finding ways to do more than one thing at once. But with jogging, that was always impossible. Running forced me to be quiet and focused. It cleared my head and no one expected me to be productive when I was running. I was just exercising. I didn’t have to produce anything but sweat.

But now, with Siri, I can respond to text messages. I can take care of business. I can get ahead. I can fill that time with multiple things.

And that’s what I’m ultimately afraid of.

If you fill every minute of your life, eventually you’ll get empty.

Instead of getting one amazing thing done, you’ll get 12 things done poorly.

You’ll spread yourself so thin that you’ll eventually break down. Physically, emotionally, spiritually or mentally. Pick your poison, one area is going to collapse if you obsessively fill your life with noise and stress and getting “more” done.

Don’t wait for that happen.

Protect the quiet spaces in your day.

Fight for them. They’re elusive. Technology will chip away at them if you let it.

And your email and text messages can wait for 30 minutes while you jog. Or paint or think or walk.

I promise.

Question:
What’s one quiet space you have in your week or day?