Only from a place of inner quietude, will stillness have the potential to reign in the soul, even if only for a moment. Over time, these moments may contribute to a greater sense of wholeness and self discovery, through the intervention of an imposed silence, by resisting anything that may contribute to an unsettled mind.
I do not necessarily mean meditation. If I can not simply sit in silence, without the urge to check emails, social media or the news, what avail would a direct attempt at full-fledged meditation be? Or how can I enter into sincere prayer, unless any tendency “to keep busy” is first placed on pause?
Otherwise, busyness as a state of mind takes over the prayer session; and, even the prayers written in a prayer book fall prey to being said by rote, compelled as it were by the urgency to complete the task. I have noticed this too often in myself; and, would rather still my mind before making any attempt to pray, so as not to gloss over the prayers without kavannah (intention).
Ideally, meditation to settle the mind, as a way of entering into prayer; although, this will not always work for me if I am seriously distracted to begin with. Reading may help to relax the mind, even having a similar effect as meditation. However, prayer has the potential to be sublime, lifting my thoughts above the mundane. Ultimately, prayer may lead towards G-d through the silence of the heart.