4 Ways To Be More Comfortable Spending Time By Yourself

Photo by Anthony Tran on Unsplash

Some of us absolutely love spending time alone and have no trouble being comfortable with that. But others? We may struggle with it. Whether you feel guilty, worried that you’re wasting time, not being social, etc., we can all really get in our heads about spending time alone. I’m here today to give you some tips on how to feel more comfortable spending time alone and to acknowledge that, in a healthy dose, it’s okay.

First of all, let’s keep this realistic;

Spending every waking second of your day alone isn’t healthy. How much time we should spend alone is really dependent on each person. Socialising to some extent is healthy for everyone, and I’d encourage people to try and do this daily (whether it’s digitally or in person). Human beings are social creatures and we should embrace that! However, spending time alone can be equally as valuable. Let’s get into this!

Listen to or Watch Something

This might seem like a simple or really obvious tip, but it’s my go to. It’s such an easy way to keep your brain occupied and simple to manage if you use it right. Whenever I’m alone, either working from home or just chilling in the evenings, I like to have something on in the background. Right now as I’m writing this, I’m home alone. So, I’ve got a new horror movie on in the background. The other day, I was alone and doing some art so I had one of my favourite podcasts playing. Something about having another voice there provides comfort. Not a media person? Make a playlist for yourself. Fill it with songs you love to help you feel at ease.

Embrace Your Hobbies and Interests

I am so grateful I started this blog because it gives me something to engage in when I’ve got me-time. In fact, it’s got to the point now where I almost want that alone time where I can just write. Other than that, I used to love spending my days drawing, painting, etc. Now that I have a degree in it, it makes it a little harder to enjoy without overthinking it. Whether you love to read, knit, exercise, or anything else, indulging in your hobbies is a brilliant way to start to feel more comfortable in yourself.

Test it out!

One of the easiest ways to start to be more comfortable with spending time alone is by testing it out, even if it’s in small doses. Walk through your town or city alone (keep yourself safe whilst doing this, of course), spend an hour or two alone at home, go to the supermarket alone. Spending more time with just you is the perfect way to gauge how comfortable you are with it.

Plan in some social time

As I mentioned before, embracing spending time alone is a beautiful thing if done in a healthy dose. We are social creatures and should also embrace that! If I know I’ve got a day coming up where I have no social plans and will be alone all day, I try and get some planned in. For example, today I knew I’d be home alone all day so asked my family if they wanted to get lunch. It’s a great break in your day and helps you feel refreshed when you return to your downtime. Meet up with a friend, or face time them! Anything to give yourself a healthy balance is ideal.

And that’s everything from me! I think, with a little balance, everyone can learn to become comfortable spending time by yourself. Let’s recap;

• Keep it healthy and balanced
• Find forms of media to occupy yourself
• Embrace your hobbies
• Test it out
• Plan social time

Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert? Or do you fit somewhere in between like me? Let me know!

with love, becky

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