Some people fear being alone, while others can't function lacking it. Regardless of which category you fall under, integrating some quality "self-time" into your busy schedule can have adequate benefits.
Now is the good time to take gain of all that alone time your time should offer. In a world where you are repetitively connected, either via text or social media, it can feel a bit far-off to be without the presence of others. Many feel "lost" shorn of their cell phones or separated when they go days without checking Facebook. While this improved sense of connection has its aids, it has also outshined the importance of alone time.
It is important to note the transformation between alone time-a period of time you choose to spend by yourself-and loneliness, a sense of sadness caused by feelings of isolation. Loneliness carries health risks, including:
- Weakened immune system
- Increased depression
- Higher risk of heart disease
Furthermore, lonely person is less likely to eat healthy foods and exercise, putting them at an even higher risk for sickness. Fortunately, it is likely and advantageous to be alone without feeling lonely. Here are four reasons to embrace alone time:
1. Enhance Creativity
Being alone can create a controlling space for creativity to embellish. According to a 2015 article in Harvard Business Review, when you let your mind meander freely (something that is more likely to occur when you're alone versus surrounded by people), you activate the brain's default mode circuits, which is in control for most of your original thoughts and ideas.
2. Recharge Your Brain
To function properly, the brain needs to time out and refresh. Think about a time when you had to be "on" for an extended period-perhaps at a work event or family function. You probably felt tired afterward, an indication that the brain needed a break. (Introverts can especially relate to this as they require more downtime to recharge). Luckily, time spent alone allows the brain to slow down and refill itself, making space for indistinct thinking and the ability to be more present with others.
3. Increase Self-Sufficiency
Alone time gives you the chance to self-reflect and become more relaxed with who you are and what you value. It inspires you to form your own views, self-governing of the judgment and censure of others. Spending time alone also forces you to solve difficulties on your own-problems you may be amazed to learn you can work through without the help of others.
4. Improve Relationships
When you are contented to be, alone and believe that you can take care of manually, you are less likely to be overly in need of on others. Plus, alone time can breed self-awareness and compassion, two traits found in healthy relationships. By fetching happiness in your own skin, you can also better meet people where they are without judgement.
While not everyone will experience living alone, there are still many ways to enjoy alone time. Try these suggestions:
5. Schedule Quiet Time
Whether it's carving out time to journal, meditate, or stop for a coffee, jotting it down in a calendar will increase the odds of following through. Choose a window when you have a break in your calendar-such as before or after work or during your lunch hour-for some quiet time alone.
6. Start Small
As beforehand cited, some people naturally enjoy alone time more than others. If you find it difficult to be alone or haven't detached from others in a while, start with a just a few minutes of alone time each day until you feel more contented. Spending time alone, while rough at first for some, shouldn't be a terrible responsibilities.
7. Choose One Enjoyable Activity
Select one activity you can do by yourself that you know you will enjoy, like:
- Meditating
- Writing
- Painting
- Swimming
- Going to a movie
- Reading a book
Choose an activity you genuinely enjoy and have benefited from in the past, whether it was physically, mentally, or emotionally.
Lose the Phone
Without the interruption of social media and the burden to respond to texts, you're more likely to involve in solo activities that are much more valuable overall. Besides, alone time will be more entertaining without the attraction to compare what you're doing with what everyone else is up to.
Tip: "If you find it difficult to part from your phone, schedule a time during the day specifically for surfing the web, checking social media, and responding to emails."
