There sometimes can be a stigma to doing things alone. Going out for dinner or catching a movie, you can sometimes feel like people are watching you or judging you for being anti-social or lonely. But that is totally wrong! Spending time by yourself is really important - after all, the relationship you have with yourself is the most important and long lasting one you’ll have in your life. Having more me time has benefits like increased productivity, happiness, empathy and gratitude. It doesn't matter how you do it, but here’s some of the benefits of me-time.
It Helps Clear Your Mind
In today’s modern world it's really easy to suffer from information overload and feel overwhelmed. A great way to reset your head, and get organized with your thoughts and feelings is to have a little time out from the outside world. Spending time alone gives you a great opportunity to reflect and prioritize the things in your life. Time alone with your thoughts can give you a clear perspective of things going on, and you’ll ultimately be able to focus better.
You’ll Know Yourself Better
Having some "me time" will help you to know yourself and learn more about yourself. Spending time with yourself helps you to get a different perspective on your thoughts and feelings, and you can think about how and why you react in certain ways to different situations in your life. Without the distractions of anyone else, you can spend time getting a sense of who you are - you might be surprised by what you find out!
You’ll Become More Independent
While spending time with yourself can help you appreciate your own company more. It also helps to teach you that you don’t need others as much as you thought you did. This doesn’t mean that you need to cut everyone out of your life! Rather, you might realize that you don’t rely on others' company as often as you might have done in the past, and your happiness doesn’t depend on other people. So enjoy your own company from time to time!
You'll Be Less Lonely
Realizing that you’re content with your own company will give you the advantage of being able to be alone without feeling too lonely. It's okay to feel lonely sometimes, but too much of it can lead to you feeling sad and down. Embracing being alone can help you to enjoy it, without feeling negative.
You’ll Get a Boost of Creativity
Creative types often spend time alone to finish and dedicate themselves to their work, often leading to amazing results! Time alone gets you away from the distraction of life and other people, and gives your mind a chance to think. Your creative side will come and flourish, even if it is just getting your day to day job done.
You’ll Become More Authentic
When you take time to yourself to get to know yourself better, you might realize that you're more comfortable in your own skin, and you’re being yourself rather than who you think you should be. By listening to yourself and thinking about who you are and who you want to be, you’ll become more honest with yourself and in turn, develop your personality.
Life Will Be Easier
Some simple pleasures in life align with being alone. Sitting and reading a good book or watching a movie, eating your favorite meal, you can spend hours by yourself and have a great time, without constantly having to be surrounded by people and engaging with them. Me time will make your life easier as you don’t need to worry about scheduling plans to keep yourself occupied and busy.
Reduce Stress
If you never have time to yourself, you’ll begin to feel tired, run down and burnt out. Being busy and under pressure all the time can increase your stress levels and lead to burnout. Taking time alone to unwind, and recharge can reduce your stress levels.
Increase Productivity
A constant to-do list in your brain and working from rise to rest can be very unhealthy for you. Your brain wasn’t built to focus 100% of the time. You need to take breaks to help you stay productive. Taking time out to do something you enjoy by yourself can refresh your mind and actually make you more productive.
Help Problem Solving
If you force yourself to focus on completing a task or solving a problem and you’re not getting anywhere - taking some me time can help. Having a time out and being by yourself can help you relax and reduce the pressure you put on your brain. You might find that you get to a solution without even thinking about it!
If you want to take some time out for yourself - this week's classes give you some time to get into the flow and let go. Whether you need to just move your body, wind down from a run, or sweat, you'll get what you need with this week's variety of classes!
By Amy Cavill