Solitude: 5 Benefits of Being Alone

Solitude or being alone usually gets linked to being lonely and sad. But as a person who loves spending time alone and doing things all by myself, I could say that this is partly untrue. Being alone is indeed a great manifestation of being lonely for others but some choose to be by their selves. It is a chosen path and not a tragic outcome of being sad.

According to Merriam-Webster, solitude is the quality or state of being alone or remote from society. On the other hand, Cambridge suggests that it is the situation of being alone without other people or a situation of being alone often by choice.

Some find happiness in exploring the world all by their selves. And that’s exactly the fun of being one. One can easily explore the world around them without being tied down by someone. Without the need to seek permission for something that you want to do, that’s another advantage of it. Reuters also said that solitude allows one to meditate or reflect on their own. And it is a valuable thing to embrace.

So as a person who also enjoys being alone and in solitude, these are the five benefits of being alone.

Solitude increase productivity

According to the Journal of Environmental Psychology, people perform better when they have little privacy. In my opinion, this is indeed true. There are some people that don’t feel comfortable doing kinds of stuff when they are being watched.

Take it from someone who is more engaged and productive when alone. I often spend time alone, doing things in my own time period and it really shows a great difference between when I am working with a lot of people and when I am just myself.

Do it like Picasso.

Solitude sparks creativity. According to a research titled, “The Effects of
Problem Structure and Team Diversity on Brainstorming Effectiveness”, people solve difficult problems way better when they are alone. Aside from the fact that it keeps them more focused on what they are doing, the state of being alone helps them to boost their creativity and be more imaginative.

And, a study published in Harvard Business Review shows that people are more likely to produce their best work when they are alone. As Albert Einstein always says, “a quiet life stimulates creative mind”.

Being alone helps you build mental strength

According to Amy Morin, a psychotherapist, and author, solitude can help one to strengthen mental strength. To back this up, according to Psychology Today, “studies show the ability to tolerate alone time has been linked to increased happiness, better life satisfaction, and improved stress management. People who enjoy alone time experience less depression.”

As for me, being alone helps and allows me to practice paying more
attention to things around me. This includes people, events, and many other things. And as a result, paying more attention to the things around us could also help us be more aware of our own thoughts and feelings. It is proven to be a great way to improve our mental health. And who wouldn’t want strong and healthy mental health, right?

Recharge and Reboot

Being alone is a perfect time to recharge and gain the energy one has lost adjusting to people around them. People are prone to feel more stressed whenever they are in a place they always need to adjust and be mindful of their surroundings. It is simply exhausting, given the fact that they always need to think about how the other person would feel or how they would react to their actions and words.

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And being alone helps one, especially the introverted ones to recharge the social battery and reboot the tired self, fixing the inner struggles while socializing with a number of people.

Filtered but stronger relationships

According to a study published in the British Journal of Psychology, it has found out that highly intelligent people are less satisfied when they spend time socializing with friends rather than being alone. And that being alone can help filter and evaluate relationships with other people.

Are we forcing ourselves to go out on a Friday night just to keep that friendship alive? Do you easily say yes just to make your boring day livelier? Being in a state
of solitude could help one to recognize and filter relationships. Which one to keep and which relationships are worth investing in?

So, from another loner by choice, always keep in mind that being in a state of solitude is not a bad thing. Yes, it sometimes manifests sadness and loneliness but the beauty of life is often found when someone is all by their selves.