Why Spending Time Alone Is Good for You

We have all sought alone time at one point or another, whether for religious or personal reasons.

It is a an opportunity to detach from others and to recharge, think about what is important, and just tune out all the noise from the everyday hustle and bustle of life.

Spending time alone allows us the space to be introspective and have a depth of thinking that can only come out when we are truly alone. It is a time when feelings can surface fully, when creativity can give way to expression, and when the body and mind can heal.

Yet, in today’s hectic world, with the bombardment of social media and 24/7 everything, alone time seems to elude us more and more. So carving out alone time is really essential to recharge and restore the body and the mind.  Here are some tips on how to sneak in some quiet and alone time just for you!

Schedule a Solitude Appointment for Yourself

Yes, this seems a little ridiculous but it will ensure that if you put your own name in your agenda and set time in your day planner for spending time with yourself, it will actually happen. It does not have to be a big chunk of time. It can be a 15 minute appointment with yourself to breathe, meditate, focus, relax, create or think deeply about whatever matters to you.

Disconnect and Unplug

Set aside some time each day to unplug from people in your life. Turn off all your gadgets – phone, internet, social media, television. And if you feel the need to write, pull out a journal instead. Or, if you must write for work, try doing it without being connected to the computer and write it the old-fashioned way with paper and pencil in hand. You just might surprise yourself with the kind of thinking that will come through when you can access only your own brilliant self.

Close Your Door and Hang a Sign

If it seems like your presence is like a magnet to workers and others around you and that you are constantly “on call”, this technique will give you a bit of a breather at work. Put a sign on your door, close it, and enjoy the peace and quiet for ten minutes. Have a cup of tea while you are at it. Or do a few breathing exercises to re-energize. You will emerge with a nice breeze in your sails.

Get Out into Nature

Instead of sitting in the staffroom or at your desk to eat your lunch, put on your sneakers, grab your lunch and head outside. Find yourself a nook under a tree or a spot at a picnic table, and enjoy the fresh air and the sounds and smells of Mother Earth.  You will return to work feeling more anchored and revitalized!

Learn to Say ‘No’

If you need alone time for yourself, don’t be afraid to say ‘no’ to appointments or invites that can be scheduled when you feel ready for them. Just because your friend has texted you and invited you out, does not mean you have to accept. Even when you have appointments and life seems to be attacking several days at once, consider rescheduling so that you can bring forth a better version of yourself. It is really okay to say no and not feel bad about choosing yourself over others.

Implementing these simple techniques will not only give you a little more time for yourself, but will also help you approach situations with a fresher perspective.

Eve Crawford – Life Strategist

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