Rest from Others

My family vacations are interesting. Vacation implies that rest will be had. Family vacation implies that we will be spending a whole week, just the six of us, doing everything together. When we were younger, by the end of the week, we were ready to not see each other for at least a few days, and sometimes we were still tired. We needed a vacation from family vacation - an extra day or two to recuperate after whatever we were doing. As we’ve gotten older, we’ve been able to instill some moments of rest within our family vacations so that we walk away feeling like we both rested and spent time with each other. Usually these moments of rest mean time alone.

Whether you’re an extrovert or introvert (but especially for the introvert), we all need moments of rest that don’t include other people. Granted, if you are an extrovert, spending time alone might be more challenging. You still need it, though. When we are with people, we are “on” that whole time, but we can’t be “on” all the time. No matter who you are, it will wear you out. Your brain needs some time to rest and recuperate. When you are by yourself with no “people” distractions, you can clear your mind and focus. It’s a way to help both your mind and body. Being alone gives you the opportunity to connect with yourself again (Carter, 2012).

When we take the time to rest alone, you give yourself the opportunity to think deeply. While many of us might avoid this at times, we need to be able to reflect and think past the surface level. Some of our best ideas and epiphanies can come from just taking the time to dig into it on our own. Not having the opportunity to do some deep thinking can actually lessen productivity (Carter, 2012).

Furthermore, spending time by yourself can actually increase creativity. Not having the external distractions of other people can give you the time to let your mind wander. Some of the most creative people withdraw from others (on purpose) to let those creative juices flow. If you are always socializing, your creative networks have less space to move (Cherry, 2021). 

So when you’re thinking about rest this week, think about some time you can build in to be alone. It doesn’t have to be hours on end, it can be even just one hour here and one hour there. But make sure that it is dedicated time alone. Car rides to and from work or school don’t count if it’s just something you do. It’s important that we dedicate actual time to rest alone, just like we do with anything else in life. Whether you choose to just bask in the silence, write, paint, etc., I hope you feel refreshed after spending the time with just who you are.

References:

Carter, S. B. (2012). 6 reasons you should spend more time alone. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/high-octane-women/201201/6-reasons-you-should-spend-more-time-alone. 

Cherry, K. (2021). How important is alone time for mental health? Very Well Mind. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/how-important-is-alone-time-for-mental-health-5184607. 

Challenges/Points:

• Whether you are introverted or extraverted, we all need time to rest alone.

• Resting alone gives you the space to reflect, connect with yourself, and be more creative. 

• Take the time this week to spend even an hour or two alone. See how you feel afterwards.

Questions:

• Do you typically prefer to rest alone or with others?

• What do you typically do to rest and feel refreshed?

• What would you do if you spent some time alone?

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