Get Alone With Your Thoughts
When I did a solo hike last month, I had lots of alone time. I went for stretches of miles and hours without seeing or talking to anyone, not to mention no phone connectivity. On the rare occasion when I did encounter others, it was typically a very brief conversation. For the pure extrovert that I am, it felt awkward to have so much silence around me. Time to just listen and think.
It turns out I am not alone. According to research done in 2014 by Harvard University and the University of Virginia, they found that regardless of age, income, or level of smartphone and social media use, people typically disliked sitting by themselves with nothing to do but think, even if it was only for a short period of 6-15 minutes.
At the same time, research also supports that spending time alone can improve your creativity, mental focus, and emotional intelligence. When you have all that working positively, you make better decisions which usually results in more success in work, relationships, and in life. My time in the mountains alone helped me think through and get clarity on some issues I had been pushing to the back burner. Now I am taking action on them.
Here are some tips for learning to be alone and enjoying it.
Make A List – Keep a running list of things you want to think about or problems you want to solve in your free time. Instead of grabbing your phone when you are alone, reach for the list.
Train Your Brain – At different intervals during the day, stop and think. Start with 1-2 minutes and build from there. Just let your mind intentionally wander and see what comes up. You might be amazed at the ideas that come to you.
Journal Your Thoughts – Writing down the things that pass through your mind could help you see your thoughts more clearly. It can also give you perspective. If it is a troubling thought, by writing it down it may take some of the intensity away.
Take a Stretch Break – Taking a few minutes to stretch your body increases blood flow and circulation to your brain and body which can energize and refresh your thoughts and bring you new ideas and fresh perspectives.
Get started now. Check out this week’s Express Desk Stretch and see what happens to your thinking.
Inquiry Question: What is getting in your way of spending a few minutes alone with your thoughts? What can you do to minimize those barriers and make way for your brain to function better?
Sometimes stress gets in our way of being alone with our thoughts because our brain is in fight or flight mode. I am offering a one-hour online workshop on Friday, October 27th, at 10amET on how to manage stress in the moment. Stress is already an issue for many, and this time of year tends to ramp that up. If that is you, join me. I have been working with companies across North America on this workshop and now I am offering it to individuals. It is simple to do and it works. Find out more here.
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Kindly,
Anita