Summary

The web content provides insights on the importance of utilizing alone time effectively for personal growth and productivity.

Abstract

The article emphasizes the value of embracing solitude to enhance one's quality of life, suggesting that alone time allows for reflection, rejuvenation, and increased productivity. It offers practical advice such as implementing a 'Phone Intermittent Fast' to reduce social media distractions, engaging in deep breathing exercises to promote relaxation and mental clarity, and taking long walks to alleviate anxiety and stimulate problem-solving. The author advocates for the benefits of quietness, encouraging individuals to use it for self-discovery and to gain a deeper understanding of their personal interests and environment.

Opinions

The author believes that many people fear being alone due to a lack of understanding of its benefits.
Alone time is seen as crucial for connecting with one's inner self and the world, especially in chaotic times.
The 'Phone Intermittent Fast' is proposed as a method to prevent excessive phone usage, similar to intermittent fasting for weight loss.
Relaxation techniques, such as deep and slow breathing, are highly recommended for their positive effects on cardiovascular health and cognitive function.
The author shares a personal anecdote about the benefits of embracing quietness, which led to increased creativity and self-awareness.
Regular long walks are suggested as a way to reduce anxiety and find solutions to personal issues.
The article concludes that spending quality time with oneself is essential for personal development and overall well-being.

How to Make Better Use of Your Alone Time

Embrace the Quietness.

Photo by Joshua Rawson-Harris on Unsplash

“Make the most of yourself….for that is all there is of you.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

I know several people who are terrified of being alone. Whenever they're all by themselves they get lonely and sometimes sad. This is usually because they have no idea how much a little me-time can contribute to their productivity and the quality of their lives in general.

Personally, my alone time is the most important time for me because it helps me connect with my inner child as well as connecting with the world around me.

There is so much happening in the world, especially at this moment where there are a lot of uncertainties and chaos. If you have been feeling exhausted and overwhelmed lately, that’s probably a sign that your body requires some alone time.

If you're not sure about why you need time alone, here are some reasons;

Spending time alone helps give you the quietness you need — away from all the noise around you.
You get to think and restrategize when necessary.
You get to connect with your inner child and know yourself better — without the influence of other people’s opinions and expectations.
It increases your productivity and helps you accomplish more.
It makes you more appreciative of the people in your life.

Now that you know some of the benefits of having time all to yourself, how can you make better use of that time? Here are a few ways;

Have a Phone Break

You’ve probably heard of the intermittent fast. That is, you have a particular number of hours you get to eat and another number of hours where you don’t eat anything. This is probably one of the most popular and effective methods of weight loss.

But that’s not what we are looking at at the moment.

I found that the method of intermittent fast could also be adopted when it comes to time spent on your phones. I like to call this the ‘Phone Intermittent Fast’.

Personally, there was a period in my life that I would spend so many hours browsing through social media. By the time I realize myself, I would have spent an entire day on my phone.

Because social media has a way of feeding your curiosity, once you start to scroll, you just can’t help but continue scrolling.

For instance, when you pick up your phone and you go to, let’s say Instagram, you see photo uploads of the people you follow. When you scroll through those uploads and you’re like, ‘oh cool picture, what’s next’? and then you scroll again, and you see the next photo and you also think ‘Oh, that’s a cute puppy, what’s next’? And you keep scrolling. Before you know it, you’re scrolling and scrolling your entire day away.

For you to make better use of your time, you don’t need your phone to distract you. You have to set limits when it comes to the amount of time you spend on your phone.

How to Do This:

When you wake up in the morning, try not to head straight for your phone. Rather, use the time for something more productive.

If you can’t seem to handle the temptation, try turning off your phone the night before. In the morning, you can turn it on at least 2 hours after you get up. That way you get time to do other productive things.

Unless of course you have some important text or call from your boss or a business partner.

If that’s the case for you, you could turn off your internet for a short time. The world isn’t going to come crumbling down because your phone/internet is switched off.

Breathe Deep and Slowly

To make better use of your alone time, I highly recommend that you take the time to relax. I’m not talking about having a fun day at the spar. Even though I’m all for that, not everyone can afford it. I’m talking about taking the time to just breathe.

A lot of times, we tend to get occupied with too many activities during the day that we barely have time to relax.

Not only is relaxing good for your cardiovascular functions, but it is also good for your brain.

When you take out time to relax, it enables you to think more clearly. Because relaxing helps slow down your heart rate and reduces your blood pressure — preventing possible anxiety.

How To Do This

There are various ways to relax but I relax by simply taking deep, slow breaths. You can also try it. Since relaxing helps release tension, you get to have more time to think calmly and clearly.

Take Long Walks

I find this quite effective whenever I take walks by myself. I get to spend the time away from other distractions and just be in my own thoughts.

Though the effects of Walking on mental health haven’t been concluded — scientifically, Personally, whenever I have a pressing issue, once I‘d just go for a walk. It helps me feel less anxious, and sometimes it helps me come up with solutions to some of the problems. When next you are alone, go ahead and take a walk.

Embrace the Quietness

When I was in university, I used to be afraid of being all by myself because I just couldn't handle the quietness. To escape that, I’d usually get an MP3 player or watch a movie.

Then one day, I was all alone in my apartment — I didn’t have classes to attend that day and there was a power cut so I had no escape.

At that point, I was forced to just lay in my bed staring at the ceiling. While laying there, I decided to focus my thoughts on positive things. So I thought about school and my family and my dreams. After a couple of hours, I realized it wasn’t so bad after all. Plus, I got to come up with fresh inspirations for my school project.

After that day, I began to set out time for my thoughts. I now enjoyed the quietness.

How to Do This:

You should be able to just sit by yourself and spend time in the quietness. Get to know yourself more by asking yourself questions and pondering on the things that make you ‘You’. Things like your personality and your interests in general. This can also be productive as it helps you have a better understanding of yourself and your environments.

Final Words

It is easy to get distracted by all the chaos going on around you but the important thing is to know when to stop and have a little break from all the noise and just spend time with the most important person in your world — You.

Take phone breaks, go out, experience the beauty of nature, relax your mind, and enjoy your own company. You owe it to yourself.