Having Peace of Mind by Enjoying Your Own Solitude

By: V. Srur

Balance is not something you find in others, but it’s something you create for yourself. You are the one that establishes healthy habits to be able to control the different aspects of your life. In this article I will inform you on how to “be your own best friend” and find balance in having some alone time, while still being with your friends and family. 

Balancing your social life and being alone certainly can depend of what type of person you are: an extrovert, introvert or ambivert. You might accidentally be draining your energy with too much time spent socializing, boring yourself to death with too much time spent in solitude or you might enjoy socializing, but with the right people and some time alone. 
 
Not knowing what you prefer might affect your daily routine, as you can often feel drained or just plain alone, which can cause lack of sleep or too much sleep, and even lead to procrastination or no motivation in school.   
 
When you determine if you're one of the personalities, you can try to balance your social gatherings with spending time in your house. Even if you’re an extrovert, studies prove that experts recommend getting 20-30 minutes of alone time every day. This doesn't necessarily mean you have to leave the house and go somewhere on your own, but everyone needs some place to calm themselves, some more than others. 
 
Here are some ways which has helped me recharge at home: 
 
Do some self-care – whatever this might be, it needs to be something that makes you feel a sense of accomplishment and can reduce stress without it being something that is tiring.  
 
Take a shower - Showers are a great way to relax and recharge your energy. Not only do they help you feel relaxed, but they also help you feel better about yourself. It's healthy, it makes us feel clean and refreshed, and most importantly it helps us relax and boost our mood. 
 
Watch movies – Finding a genre of movie that you feel is entertaining is great for spending some time alone by watching something which doesn’t involve anyone. It can also boost your serotonin levels and watching films can also be a form of therapy. Apart from the obvious, escaping our own lives and problems for a short time, it is a way for us to forget anxiety and stress. 
 
Bake – Baking is also a way of reducing anxiety as it helps you take your mind off of things and with practise it can become a new hobby. 
 
Sleep – Sleep is the most important of all, it has several benefits, and it is probably the most frequent activity of self-care. A human need at least 8 hours to function properly and all that drainage you might be feeling might become even worse because your sleep is irregulated. 
 
Just remember, you don’t need to always have that “balance” and you don’t need to feel guilty for setting boundaries in spaces you don’t want to be in. Prioritize what makes you comfortable because sometimes it’s better to put yourself first and uncommit. True balance is made when you feel comfortable in your surroundings and not overwhelmed.  ​