Wash the dishes without a podcast once. It’s weirdly good for your head.

A simple task with your hands and nothing in your ears gives your mind somewhere to settle, which is different from being entertained and different from trying to relax. Thoughts you had no room for arrive on their own, and half-finished problems quietly sort themselves out. The boredom lasts about four minutes and then turns into something closer to rest.

Try one chore in silence this week. Dishes, folding, walking the dog, tidying your room, with no audio at all, not even music. Notice what shows up in the last five minutes. If it goes well, keep one regular job as your quiet one.