Give your psyche a refresh with quality alone time. In this busy life, alone time is your best bet for restoration. It can be as short as two hours or stretch to a month off. Without it, you’ll run on low batteries.
Time alone is different than loneliness. Believe it or not, being by yourself gives you time to recharge. It’s as simple as going to a new place. A local park or a coffee shop may be all you need to recharge.
Yes, parks and coffee shops often have other people in them, but not people you know. The important part of alone time is getting away from the people and activities that normally fill up your life. And that’s the point – they fill you up.
Alone time or solitude gives you the mental space to let go of those tasks and folks who take space in your life. Being by yourself frees your spirit. Your mind is free to form new thoughts. Just taking a walk by yourself may be all you need to be inspired by how to solve a problem that’s been bugging you.
How Does Alone Time Work?
![Alone Time: Woman standing alone at an Icelandic beach.](https://totalapexentertainment.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/alonewomanbella-huang-YnYi_6D9VrE-unsplash-scaled.jpeg)
Signs you need some alone time pop up. Unless you are aware of those signs, you may not know you need some time alone. Here are some indicators that some solitude may be just what you need:
- Irritability – All of a sudden, everything seems to bother you. You get cranky with people you love.
- Lack of Focus – It feels like it takes forever to perform a simple task. You get distracted. You can’t stay on track.
- Loss of Interest in Group Settings – Group activities like a hobby meetup, of regular church group, or neighborhood socials don’t appeal. You just can’t get up the energy to go. You don’t care.
- Social Anxiety – You don’t want to talk to people. You avoid situations where you have to talk, even at work.
- Feeling Overwhelmed – It all feels like too much. The tiniest thing feels overwhelming. A spoon slips from your hand and falls on the kitchen floor. You feel like you are going to fall apart.
Before you rush off to the doctor pleading for tranquilizers, take some quality alone time. That’s not pouting in your room. Quality alone time depends on your choice to go out and spend time alone.
You can go for a hike, go fishing, go for a walk, have coffee at a cafe with outdoor seating, people watching, a park, go for a swim, go window shopping, stay overnight somewhere else, or vacation in another country. How you spend your solitude is up to you.
![Alone Time Focus. Man focused on project in workshop](https://totalapexentertainment.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/focuscarter-yocham-dFkLQt4R5ts-unsplash-scaled.jpeg)
You’ll find the benefits are immediate. First of all, you’ll be out and free – free to spend the time however you like. When you incorporate alone time into your life, you’ll experience various benefits.
- Increased Creativity – New ideas and fresh problem-solving ideas pop into your head unbidden. You’ve given those ideas space to appear.
- Goal Evaluation – That same mental space allows you to review your goals – set new goals and adjust priorities.
- Increased Productivity – Because your mind is free, when you return to “life,” you are clear about what you want to do. And, you do it without hesitation.
- Reduced Stress – You give yourself space from rules and regulations imposed on other aspects of your life. You feel freer.
- In Tune with Yourself – You gain a better sense of who you are. You understand how you operate. This feeling helps you communicate with others.
In short, you’ll understand yourself better and, as a result, your relationships with others are positive.
How To Tell Others You Need Quality Alone Time
![alone time communicating need. Happy couple in the woods.](https://totalapexentertainment.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/tellothersallef-vinicius-pOrrjxBo6i4-unsplash-scaled.jpeg)
Now that you know the symptoms that you need some solitude and want the benefits, your biggest challenge may be telling those around you why you are “going away” from them.
Phrase your declaration of solitude in positive terms. For family members, make sure you emphasize how it has nothing to do with them. It’s all about you. Paint a positive picture of how they will experience the outcomes.
Be objective in your statements. Use statements like “I need to do this.” or “Life will be better when I do this.” Just make sure you don’t use the dreaded words, “I need some space.”
If you don’t communicate or forego your need for some time alone, your relationship may suffer from “aloneliness.”. When couples don’t take time alone, resentment builds up, and the relationship suffers.
If your employer offers Paid Time Off (PTO). Take it. The break may be just what you need to recharge. You may have the option of using a vacation day or a sick day to get that much-needed alone time.
If you haven’t tried being alone, commit to treating yourself to some quality alone time.
More about self-care:
4 Amazing Tips: How Does Traveling Improve Your Mental Health?
6 Important Mental Health Tips for Remote Workers
5 Ways Learning A New Language Changes Your Brain
About The Author
Zara Altair is a writer and author of historical mysteries set in 6th Century Italy. She is passionate about books, film, film history, and sharing her knowledge with others. Engage with Zara, her educational insights, and her tips for fellow writers by following her on X(Twitter) and Threads. Zara is a seasoned journalist and accomplished writer with deep expertise spanning entertainment, literature, film writing, neuroscience, and health. Zara blends critical analysis with a profound passion for storytelling.