I’m sure we have all heard the saying, “surround yourself with people that make you happy”, especially if you are going through a hard time with your mental health. Well, although that rings true, there is also a lot of benefit in prioritising time for yourself. This is where it becomes a balancing act, which will look different to everyone!
Given the current circumstances, if you find yourself feeling lonely in lockdowns where you are, try and shift your perception to harnessing the time you get to yourself to dive deep into self-reflection and personal development. Time is such a valuable thing if you can use it well.
Let’s go over a few reasons why time alone, can be good for your mental health.
1. Encourages self-reflection
The need for belonging and social connection is an innate human characteristic, but this doesn’t necessarily mean alone time is bad. In fact, alone time gives us the chance to self-reflect, set goals and grow as an individual so that we can show up in life as our best version.
Try to take at least 10 minutes a day to self-reflect without distraction. This could take the form of going for a walk, listening to music, journaling, yoga or dining in with your morning coffee before you take on the day.
2. Develop self-love
Spending time alone can in fact boost our self-esteem and sense of being good enough. It also allows us to develop a positive relationship with ourselves which can, in turn, lead to more self-love. Try to form a positive relationship with spending ‘quality alone time’. For example, setting reminders to take yourself out to do an activity you love or simply watching a movie by yourself. If you can add a bit of self-love time to your schedule each week, you might find you’ll notice a big difference in your self-esteem.
3. Enhances your relationships with others
By spending time on your own, you can become clearer on who you are as a person and what you want from your life and relationships. Setting time aside to be alone can be a great way to improve relationships, whether that be with friends, family, a partner or even colleagues.
In terms of ‘how much is too much?’ – that is a question you need to ask yourself. If you feel yourself looking forward to alone time on a similar level that you look forward to spending time with friends and family, you’re likely to be getting a healthy dose of both!
However, if you are an extrovert you may find you need to put in more effort to set aside time for yourself and if you’re an introvert, you may need to get out of your comfort zone every so often to mingle around others more.
We hope this blog has given you the inspiration to take control of your mental health and set aside some time for yourself. If you would like to find out more about any of our individual or group programs, please feel free to reach out here.