10 Reasons Why Spending Time Alone Makes You More Successful

“Without great solitude no serious work is possible.” ~ Pablo Picasso

Do you like to spend time alone? Do you enjoy solitude? I relish my alone time and make it a daily priority. Some people may find that hard to believe because I am outgoing, love people a great deal and enjoy connecting with others. When I talk about solitude, I am not talking about sitting at home bingeing on my favorite TV show, reading a good book, or burying myself in a project, which I love to do. I am referring to those moments where I turn off the phone, laptop, tablet, or anything to distract myself. I am talking about those moments where I intentionally slow down, fall off the grid of life and create time and space free from constant distraction from gadgets, people, and additional demands.

According to a Pew survey, eighty-five percent of Americans believe it’s imperative to have times when they are completely alone and away from others. Most people search for moments of time where they can slow down and be free from our fast-paced, over-connected, and constantly changing world. These moments of solitude have triggered great ideas for successful icons like Albert Einstein, Emily Dickinson, Bill Gates, Maya Angelou, Warren Buffet, Steve Jobs and countless others.

When was the last time you unplugged from the world and took a temporary break from everyone and everything? Solitude is bursting with benefits. Check out this list of 10 ways solitude can be good for you.

Restores Your Energy

A lot of people today complain of experiencing an excess amount of stress from having to juggle work, home, technology, and many responsibilities of daily life. Being alone gives you the opportunity to adjust and tweak your life. Dr. Ester Schaller Buchholz, the author of The Call of Solitude, refers to “Alone time” as “fuel for living.”

Spending time alone can provide you with the much-needed rest for restoring your energy and recharging your batteries so you can go back into the world feeling refreshed and at the top of your game.

Encourages Silence

We’re always filling our ears with television, music, podcasts, radio and, of course, the multitude of sounds that we create nonstop in our heads. Think about it: How many moments each day do you spend in total silence? The answer is probably very few.

Just as too much noise can cause tension and stress, research has discovered that silence has just the opposite effect, releasing tension in the brain and body.

; it can turn our thoughts and focus inwards and help us gain the power we need to refuel our minds. Do your best to seek out silence, at least once a day for ten to fifteen minutes. You’ll be glad you did.

Helps You to Make Better Decisions

Good decision making is almost always hindered by the stress and hectic pace of everyday living. A busy, confused mind can lead you to make decisions you may regret in the future.

Solitude can help you to restore, refresh, and revitalize your mind. A little “alone” time is all you need to get back on track, to thinking clearly and feeling better about yourself.  A clear mind helps you to make better decisions and allows you to determine what changes you need to make to stay optimistic, focused, and moving forward in life.

Increases Creativity

Moments of solitude, even small ones can have profound effects on our productivity and creative thinking. Spending time alone allows you to think outside-the-box and enables you to come up with innovative ideas for making life better for yourself and others.

Solitude is a crucial and undervalued ingredient for creativity. Susan Cain, the author of the book Quiet, shared,

Even though brainstorming is often promoted as the best way to gather ideas, research suggests that people who work alone and later share their thoughts come up with far more ideas.

 Strengthens our Relationships with Others

There is research that suggests blocking off alone time is an important component of a well-functioning social life. If we want to make the most out of the time, we spend with others. We should make sure we’re spending enough of it away from them. Just as regular exercise and healthy eating make our minds and bodies work better, spending time alone is essential if you want your relationships to succeed.

The capacity to be alone is the ability to know enough about yourself and who you are and be comfortable enough with that. That way, when you are with another person, you’re not trying to make that person into somebody you need them to be.

Makes You More Comfortable in Your Skin

Many people struggle with feeling comfortable in their skin.

Sherry Turkle, director of the MIT Initiative on Technology and Self, says in her book, “Alone, Together,” that people should be setting aside chunks of time every day when they’re not engaged in so-called social snacking activities like texting, chatting, and talking on the phone.

Find a place where you can be alone. No distractions, no chatting, no streaming videos, no listening to music, just you, your thoughts, and hopefully a sense of comfort. This is huge, especially in this modern era of ours that never offers a moment’s peace. Feeling a little lonely at times is simply the price you pay for forging a clearer identity and a strong sense of self.

Makes You More Empathetic

A Harvard study reveals that those who are always in the thick of social events usually find it challenging to experience empathy for others, whereas those who have somehow gained some level of comfort with solitude can feel empathy for the dilemmas of others.

Empathy is our ability to connect with the problems and emotions of others. It’s enhanced if we spend time away from others, purely in our company.

Your Ability to Focus is Increased

According to Psychology Today, spending time alone can improve your capability to focus, process, and prioritize information. When you can minimize distractions and interruptions, you’ll enhance your ability to concentrate on the present and completing tasks at hand.

In fact, many entrepreneurs look forward to their time alone to focus their energy and make better decisions. When you step back from the course of events and social connections, you can see things from a different vantage point.

Leads to Increased Gratitude

Solitude can help us to slow down and reflect on all that we have to be grateful for. A study conducted by Dr. Robert A. Emmons of the University of California, Davis, reveals that cultivating gratitude may increase happiness levels by close to 25 percent. It can also cause individuals to live happier, more satisfied lives and enjoy increased levels of self-esteem, hope, optimism.

One of the things that have had the biggest effect on my life is the realization of the power of gratitude. Simply giving thanks. It has made me a more positive, productive, and all around better person and it can do the same for you!

Fosters Personal Reflection and Growth

It’s tough to stop and reflect when you’re constantly on the go and spending time with work, family, and friends. Creating some alone time, or “me” time gives you the opportunity to get away from distractions so you can focus on your goals, relationships, and course of life and determines what changes if any, you may want to take.

I highly recommend that, if you haven’t yet, you develop a habit of reflection. It could have profound changes in your life. Spending time reflecting in solitude can help you to learn from your mistakes, give you great ideas, and make you happier.

Bringing It All Together

Smart managers and business owners understand alone time boosts creativity and productivity.  Schedule alone time on a regular basis, at least once a week. It’s easier to get this time than you think! Learn to close your door. Get up or get into your office early. Use your lunch break effectively. Take a walk by yourself. Look up at least once a day.

I encourage you to create time and space where solitude can be embraced, where you don’t allow yourself to check your phone or reach for distraction.

I leave you with this challenge- spend time away from the crowd, and begin finding ways you can incorporate more “me” time into your hectic schedule. As the famous poet Rumi once said, “A little while alone in your room will prove more valuable than anything else that could ever be given you.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

TIM CROWLEY, PH.D.

Motivational Keynote Speaker, Leadership, and Resilience Expert

Dr. Tim Crowley is a well-known speaker with a passion for growing leaders, teams, and organizations that produce extraordinary results. For more than 25 years his services have touched the lives of leaders in some of the most recognizable companies in the world. Including AT&T, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Ernst & Young, Hallmark, Johnson & Johnson, Lockheed Martin, Marriot, Microsoft, Nestle-Purina, along with numerous organizations, universities, state and federal agencies.

When not speaking, leading workshops, and blogging he looks for inspiration through mountain biking, volunteering, and spending time with his family and friends. Invite Tim to speak at your next event. You can learn more about Tim and how his services can help you and your team at drtimcrowley.com. Connect with Tim on LinkedIn, Google+, Facebook, and Twitter.