In today’s world we are connected 24/7, which makes finding some solitude and alone time a lost art. In fact, a lot of people in our Western culture tend to equate a desire for spending time alone with loneliness, sadness and antisocial tendencies. But reality is that seeking solitude is actually quite healthy, psychologically as well as physically.
Of course, connectivity is a good thing and being around people is essential to live a fulfilled life, but like with everything else, if you have too much of a good thing, it turns into a bad thing. To get the most out of life, you have to learn how to enjoy spending time alone to improve your mental and emotional well-being.
Reality is, spending time alone is such a good thing that you should schedule it into every single one of your busy days. Sure, there are times when it isn’t easy to be alone, but once you become comfortable with it, you create the most important relationship that anybody has ever had… the relationship you have with yourself.
Here are our TOP 10 reasons why spending more time alone is so beneficial.
#1 Recuperate and Recharge
All of us, even the most driven among us, need some time to recuperate and recharge. There is nothing quite like spending some time alone to make this happen. The mental solitude and peace and quite you experience when you are by yourself without any distractions is essential when it comes to recovering from our everyday stresses. Keep in mind, constantly being ‘on’ doesn’t give our mind a chance to rest and replenish itself, so give your mind a break so that you can think more clearly and focused again.
#2 Improve Concentration
When you remove all distractions and interruptions from your day – or at least as many as you can, you will all of a sudden experience how much easier it is to focus and concentrate and actually get done what you set out to do. Being alone allows you to develop laser sharp focus and be more productive, which will allow you to progress much quicker and more efficiently.
#3 Discover Yourself
When you are constantly surrounded by others, you are much more likely to simply follow along with what the group is thinking, even though their thoughts and actions aren’t necessarily something you would choose to do if you were on your own. Being in solitude gives you an amazing opportunity to tune into your self, discover who you are and find your own voice without the influence of others.
#4 Increase Empathy
Being constantly surrounded by a certain circle of friends often leads to a ‘we versus them’ mentality. However, if you take the time to spend some time with yourself, you will develop a more compassionate point of view for people who aren’t part of your inner circle and increase your level of empathy significantly. You increase your self-awareness about your own emotions and feelings and with that develop emotional intelligence to put yourself in another person’s shoes.
#5 Think Deeply and Spark Creativity
Have you ever noticed how artists and authors go to a far away cabin in the woods or a private studio to get to work? Being alone allows us to step away from our day-to-day commitments and responsibilities, the noise of our everyday lives and with that allows us to engage in deep thoughts, which in turn sparks creativity and allows our mind to wander to come up with the most ingenious ideas.
#6 Plan Your Life
A lot of people spend a great deal of time planning their vacation or some major life event like a big birthday or a wedding, but most people don’t spend that same amount of time to plan how to get the most out of life. Spending time alone gives you the chance to figure out the purpose behind all that hustling and bustling of everyday life and the quite space of being alone gives you the incredible opportunity to think about your goals and dreams, your progress and the changes you want to implement into your life.
#7 Improve Relationships
If you don’t spend enough time with yourself, you can turn into a grouch and snap at people for the littlest things. But when you take some time out and spend quality time with yourself, you energize yourself and become a pleasant person again, someone people actually want to be around. After a bout of alone time, you actually do want to engage with others, you want to have a conversation with your friends, family and co-workers and with that you ultimately improve your relationships and make them stronger.
#8 Boost Your Health
Use your alone time to do something mentally and physically healthy like going to the gym, taking a yoga class or practicing meditation. Regular exercise is like a wonder drug for our body and mind and meditation has been proven to boost our happiness, decrease our stress levels, increase immune function and so much more. The bottom line is you increase your feelings of joy and wellbeing, lower stress and are more calm and collected.
#9 Solve Problems
When you don’t engage in the latest gossip at the water cooler and don’t waste your time on social media, you actually free up your mind and with that you can optimize your life, solve problems and put a deeper meaning behind a recent experience. Being alone allows you to reflect on experiences and situations and with that optimize things without distractions and you create unexpected flashes of creative insights that allow you to solve problems.
#10 Feel Calmer and Happier
Spending time alone allows you to focus on yourself, your own emotions, feelings and thoughts – and no one else’s. You don’t have to take someone else’s needs into account, you are only responsible for yourself. Spending time alone is an important part of self-care and research shows that the more you take care of yourself, the happier and calmer you are.
Initially it may be challenging to spend time alone, but once you start getting used to it and embrace it, you can start a journey of self-discovery that allows you to be happy with yourself, appreciate what you have and go after your dreams.
TAKE SOME TIME EACH DAY AND ENJOY A PERIOD OF SOLITUDE
Joschi & Monika
#BoldNaked
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