Gordon Hall’s lower-level corridor is now home to Harvard Medical School’s first quiet room.
This new space, Room 013A, is now open and available to anyone from the HMS community who wants to relax, meditate, pray or just find a quiet moment.
Joan Reede, HMS dean for diversity inclusion and community partnership, led the initiative to find and allocate a centrally located space for all members of the community to find sanctuary from time to time.
“School leadership recognized the necessity and benefit for faculty, staff and students to have a reliably available room to use at will for a pause in their day,” said HMS Dean George Q. Daley. “We encourage members of our community to seek out and find respite in this space.”
According to Inc. , quiet rooms, “improve the working lives of employees who spend more than half their waking hours at the office. The idea is to unwind, get away from the stresses of the job long enough that the brain resets and when the batteries are fully recharged, the employee emerges ready to tackle even the toughest projects with renewed energy.”
HMS Quiet Room Use Guidelines
- Available all day, every day.
- Intended for use by individuals or small groups for short visits.
- The room does not lock.
- The room cannot be reserved.
- All users of the quiet room should be silent. If you must speak, please keep it to a whisper.
- Do not eat, drink or use electronic devices in the room.
- Please be respectful of other people sharing the space.
- Please keep the room tidy. Report any maintenance or janitorial issues by email at HMS Facilities or by phone at 617-432-1901.
