The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted lives all over the world. With governments enforcing ‘social distancing’ as a means to reduce infection, the issue becomes how to maintain social connection and “pandemic wellbeing” despite physical distancing.
Given the surplus of research showing the positive and crucial effects social connection has on our wellbeing, the issue becomes a growing concern.
In this blog, we cover the different struggles faced between introverts and extroverts, and ways you can harness positive mental wellbeing, dependant on your personality type.
Differences between Introverts and Extroverts
There is no doubt that feeling good often leads to making better choices, but with the current conflicts we face, this can be a challenge. Isolation, uncertainty and fear are among many of the feelings consuming the world.
Being an introvert or extrovert can greatly impact how these situations affect you.
So, which one are you?
Often it comes down to how you get your energy. Introverts tend to embrace solitude and spending time with smaller groups of people, whereas extroverts embrace social environments and large groups.
Despite there being a divide, introversion and extroversion are not clear cut. Some of us may have a range of behaviours from each but display more from the one.
Wherever you lie on the spectrum of each, it can drastically affect how you react to external stimuli.
The World Happiness Report indicates in a 2020 study that “extroversion was negatively associated with distancing, while conscientiousness, agreeableness, and neuroticism were positively related to distancing.” This opens up an interesting conversation surrounding the different ways we react to our changing environments.
Although both may be experiencing mental wellbeing challenges, it’s clear that there is perhaps more of a struggle for extroverts to isolate when it’s the last thing they want to do!
However, if you typically thrive solo, you now have the chance to up your self-care game – time to thrive.
Here are our tips!
Tips for an introvert:
- Self-care activities
- Try a new activity or form of exercise
- Spend time in nature
- Have a solo morning routine
- Stop comparing yourself to extroverts
- Read a book
- Listen to a podcast
- Invest in some essential oils to diffuse in your space
- Take a bath
- Do something creative
Tips for an extrovert:
- Schedule coffee breaks over Zoom
- Make new friends online
- Do your daily exercise where you know you will walk past people
- Stay active on social media
- Join online events, forums or workshops
- Start studying a new course
- Make an effort to stay in contact with friends
- Organise an online games night
- Set achievable goals given the circumstances
- Try to learn a new skill
Whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, or somewhere in between – try to become aware of your environment, how you react to it and which reaction is what’s best for you and your mental health. Stay connected, join our online community or 6-day online goal-setting program.
