How to Remain Silent for a Whole Day

Co-authored by Stefanie Barthmare, M.Ed., LPC

Last Updated: February 13, 2023 References Approved

A vow of silence, even a temporary one, is quite a commitment. No matter your reason, staying silent for an entire day can be both beneficial and challenging. If you are taking a vow of silence, make sure to find your motivation, inform others, reflect, distract yourself, and find different ways to communicate in order to get through the day successfully.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Finding Motivation

1
Become comfortable with silence. If silence bothers you, it will be impossible to stay silent for a whole day. Silence isn't just not speaking, but could also be conceived in other ways - such as not listening to music. Try incorporating silence into your life, whether it is turning your music off for five minutes, or meditating without anyone nearby for five minutes. Find ways to be comfortable sitting in silence and being silent. And if you can get comfortable with it, maybe you can enjoy it.
2
Stay silent to support a movement. Often, a group of people will commit to staying silent for a day in an attempt to stand up for those who have been “silenced” in one way or another, such as by domestic violence. If you choose to stay silent in order to benefit or support someone else, you may feel more motivated to stick with it throughout the day.
- For example, the GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network) has a day of silence in order to stand up against anti-LGBTQ bullying, which has “silenced” many in the LGBTQ community.^{[1]
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3
Don't speak so that you learn to listen. You may notice that you often say what's on your mind before listening to what others have to say. There are many benefits to getting into the habit of listening first. It gives you the upper hand in an argument, makes you more capable of developing sympathy for others, and much more. Try to stay silent for an entire day to get better at listening before you speak.^{[2]
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4
Stay silent to learn to think things through. When you face a problem, it's beneficial to first reflect in silence before acting. That way, you can fully assess the situation and then make an intelligent, useful move. If you find yourself making illogical or rash decisions, staying silent for a day may help you think through things more.^{[3]
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5
Commit to silence to feel calmer. Trying to stay silent for a period of time can help you gain a sense of calmness and clarity. If you find yourself easily overwhelmed, aggravated, and/or anxious, you may commit to a day of silence to adopt a more peaceful mindset.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Informing Others about the Silence

1
Give a heads up to those whom you regularly communicate with. Tell your friends, family, teachers, and/or coworkers about your silent day a couple of days in advance. This will prevent any confusion on their end or frustration on yours, and should also make things easier on you.^{[5]
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2
Get permission from your teachers and/or boss beforehand. Your vow of silence may interfere with your ability to participate in class or properly do your job. Talk to your teachers and/or boss ahead of time about your vow of silence and ask if they're okay with it. Try to come up with a game plan to ensure that you'll still be a productive student and/or employee that day.
- Seriously reconsider your vow of silence if your teacher or boss disapproves. Finding a new way to support a cause or develop calmness isn't as bad as losing your job or getting a failing participation grade.
3
Hand out fliers or hang up posters. If you're remaining silent to support a cause, it's a good idea to spread awareness beforehand. Hang up posters and/or pass out fliers in your school or workplace that include the date, the cause, and an explanation of the reason for being silent.^{[6]
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Wear clothing to support the cause. You can also purchase and wear informative merchandise such as t-shirts, stickers, buttons and more on the day that you remain silent. This should help people understand why you aren't speaking.^{[7]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Reflecting and Distracting Yourself

1
Practice silent meditation. Meditation is one productive activity that you can do while remaining silent. While not all types of meditation are silent, many are. Silent meditation techniques can help you reflect on yourself, clear your head, and also pass the time.
- Try taking slow, deep breaths in and out. Close your eyes and focus only on the air entering and leaving your lungs.
- Sit cross-legged with your eyes closed and visualize an empty bowl on the ground in front of you. When a thought comes to you, put it in the bowl, empty the bowl, and then put it back in front of you.^{[8]
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2
Write in a journal. If staying silent makes you feel like you can't express yourself enough, consider writing your thoughts down in a journal. In addition to allowing you to express yourself, this can help you become more self-aware and hold yourself accountable.^{[9]
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- Recognize your urges to break the silence. Whenever you find yourself struggling to stay silent, make note of the moment and reflect on the reason why you felt compelled to speak in your journal. This may help you learn a lot about yourself.^{[10]
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3
Read a book. Reading may give you something to think about besides your own thoughts. When you feel like you can't make it through the day without speaking, take out one of your favorite novels and read a few chapters to switch your frame of mind.
4
Listen to music. If you really enjoy music, listening to it may also distract you from your own silence. Put on some headphones and play some of your favorite songs so that you don't feel quite as compelled to speak.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Communicating in Other Ways

1
Carry a notepad and pen around. Keep a pen and a pad of sticky notes or a small notebook with you at all times when remaining silent for the day. This way, you can quickly write down your coffee order at the cafe or a reminder of your vow of silence to show to your teacher. This will make minimal, straightforward communication less complicated.^{[11]
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Text or message others online. Send emails or use social media to discuss things with friends, family members, teachers, or coworkers.^{[12]
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3
Mime to others. If you're good at acting or charades, you can also get your point across to someone by using gestures. You can actually communicate quite a bit just by using certain facial expressions.^{[13]
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- Consider using the thumbs up hand signal for “yes” and the thumbs down signal for “no” throughout the day.
- Try coming up with hand gestures for basic things that you may need throughout the day, such as asking to use the restroom. Share these hand gestures with your teachers and/or boss ahead of time so that there's no confusion on the day you remain silent.
4
Communicate with open or closed off body language. People communicate more with their body language than with their words. When remaining silent, focus on displaying open or closed body language to tell people whether or not you want them near you.
- If your friend sits next to you in class, make eye contact with them and smile to show that you're happy they sat there.
- If someone is harassing you and trying to get you to speak, cross your arms and don't look at them to show that you aren't interested in engaging. ^{[14]
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Community Q&A

Question

What if someone asked a question or started shouting at you? What do you do?

Community Answer

You should tell the people in your life ahead of time if you're going to be doing something like this. If someone who doesn't know about it tries to talk to you, you can ignore them, write the answer down, or show them a sign that says you've taken a vow of silence.
Question

Does texting count as talking?

Community Answer

It depends on your definition of 'silence'. Maybe you want to be silent for the reason of cutting off communication with others. If that is the case, steer clear of texting. If you want to be silent as a way to clear your mind or to avoid talking to those in close proximity, but not completely turning off all communications, then texting would be okay. It really all depends on your preferences.
Question

Why does everyone bother me and try to get me to talk?

Community Answer

They think something is wrong and see if they can make you feel better or find out what's wrong. They might also be unaware that you are taking a vow of silence. Lastly, it is human nature to talk. If someone does not talk, other people might suspect that something is amiss.

Warnings

You may need to break your vow of silence if circumstances demand or if there's an emergency. No vow of silence is worth preserving at the cost of your own well-being or that of others.

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If you do not inform others of the fact that you've scheduled this day of silence, they may become offended at your refusal to speak. It is important to let others know that you are not giving them the 'silent treatment'.

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