Research suggests that too much social isolation takes a serious toll on both physical and mental health. But there are some benefits to spending time on your own, as long as you balance it by maintaining strong and supportive social connections.
Let’s take a look on the list of advantages of having the time alone. A warning must be mentioned. Just be careful not to let periods of solitude turn into social isolation—research has found that loneliness is linked to decreased empathy and can be as bad for your health as chain smoking.
Reason 1: It Can Improve Concentration and Memory
When you are working in a group, you might exert less effort to memorize information because you simply assume that others in the group will fill in the gaps, a phenomenon known as social loafing. Working on things alone can help you focus your attention, which can improve your retention and recall. In one study published in the journal Psychological Bulletin, researchers found that groups working collaboratively to recall information performed worse than individuals recalling things on their own.
Reason 2: It Makes Your Interests a Priority
It gives you time to focus on your interests. Being alone is an important part of self-development whether you are a child or an adult. It allows you to get to know yourself. It allows you relax into being yourself. When you are surrounded by others, you might set your own ideas and passions aside in order to appease the wants and needs of friends and family. Taking time on your own gives you a critical opportunity to make creative choices and focus your attention without worrying about what other people are thinking.
Reason 3: It Boosts Creativity
Collaborative brainstorming is often seen as one of the best ways to generate new ideas, but research has found that people are often better at solving difficult problems when they work on their own. Where group efforts are often about achieving consensus and fitting in with the crowd, solo work encourages innovation without added social pressure, without filters or needs to satisfy others.
Reason 4: It Improves Your Relationships
Relationships are often strongest when each person takes time to take care of themselves. Even when it comes to friendships, the old adage may be true—a little absence might really make the heart grow fonder.
One study published in the British Journal of Psychology found that highly intelligent people actually become less satisfied the more time they spend socializing with friends. Having friendships and a strong social support system is important for your mental health and well-being, but taking a break and going it solo once in a while may help you appreciate those connections all the more.
Reason 5: It Makes You More Productive
Group work is often lauded for improving collaboration and innovation, but it can also be distracting. Even trying to focus on more than one thing at a time has been shown to dramatically reduce overall productivity. So even if you don’t have the luxury of focusing on projects solo, you can reduce productivity killers by simply focusing on one task at a time.
Reason 6: It Makes You More Empathetic
Research suggests that a certain amount of alone-time can actually help you have greater empathy for the people around you. Of course, getting time alone isn’t always easy, particularly when technology has transformed how people spend time alone. Even when you are by yourself, you may never take a break from communicating with others. , but cutting back on digital communication for a brief time might be helpful. In one study, researchers found that when teens went five days without communication devices, they improved their ability to interpret emotions and facial expressions.
Intro to How to Be Alone
Being alone doesn’t come naturally to everyone. If you are used to surrounding yourself with friends and family or even prefer the company of strangers, learning to appreciate the joys of going solo may take some time. More on how to be alone in other post.
- Make a plan. If possible. The best alone-time often happens when you set aside a specific period to be by yourself. It shouldn’t be forced isolation that leaves you feeling withdrawn or anti-social. Set aside an evening or a weekend for a little refreshing “me time.”
- Eliminate the distractions. If you find yourself tempted to work, check out social media, or talk on the phone, start by turning off any potential distracting devices. Leave your laptop and phone aside and focus on doing something that you don’t normally get to do on your own.
- Learn to value solitude. In an ever-connected world that often devalues being alone, it is important to remember the importance of taking time to spend with just your own thoughts.
This doesn’t mean that you need to completely escape all forms of external stimulation when you are alone. The key is to engage in activities that allow you to feel a sense of inner solitude. Some people can achieve this feeling while listening to music or reading a book, while others might require the quiet of a peaceful session of meditation.
Find what works for you, then make sure that you have regular moments where you can retreat to this quiet mental space.
THE SMALL, GOOD THINGS 