In our digital world, time is usually a source of stress. We stare at digital clocks that blink the minutes away, or countdown timers on our screens that demand productivity. This creates a state of "directed attention fatigue," in which our brain becomes tired from constantly having to focus and filter out distractions (Kaplan, 1995).
Sometimes, to rest your mind, you don't need to close your eyes. You just need to change what you are looking at.
This is the power of a "visual anchor," like a sand hourglass or a slow-moving oil timer. Unlike a digital clock, which tells you how late you are, an hourglass visualises time as a flowing, physical thing. It is rhythmic, predictable and silent.
Watching the sand fall engages a type of attention called "soft fascination." It occupies your eyes enough to stop them from darting around the room, but it doesn't demand hard cognitive work (Basch, 1980). It creates a "soft gaze" that allows the thinking part of your brain to go offline for a moment.
At Lullaire, we love these analogue tools because they turn the abstract concept of time into something beautiful and calming. They remind us that time isn't just running out; it is simply flowing.
If you find yourself constantly checking the clock or feeling the pressure of the day, try replacing your digital timer with something from our Find Focus collection.
References:
Basch, M. F. (1980). Doing psychotherapy. New York: Basic Books. Kaplan, S. (1995). The restorative benefits of nature: Toward an integrative framework. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 15(3), 169-182.
