Am I just introverted or lazy? Solitude is extremely important to introverts. A misconception of introversion is that introverts rather be alone because they’re unsocial. In actuality, introverts refuel and are at their best selves in their moments of solitude. If you’re an introvert, you can vouch for this. “You’re time” is the most important time and you’re sure to take it. However, can we confuse our need for solitude with taking too much downtown?
Ask yourself: Do you have a problem? Do you think the amount of downtime you’re taking is obstructive? Is your need for downtime keeping you from doing stuff that’s important either practically (cleaning the house) or emotionally (maintaining key friendships, pursuing a hobby)? Or is your need for downtime just giving you a perfectly acceptable excuse to do things you don’t want to do?
Introverts actually find a lot of productivity in solitude and get a lot accomplished on their own. Solitude can be reading a novel, studying, gardening, hiking, cleaning, etc.. So if you’re taking a lot of alone time and notice you’re not being productive, getting anything done, not even hobbies or things that uplift you, then it might be something to start looking into. Regardless, solitude should serve you. If it’s not, there’s a chance you’re just taking too much downtime. If you feel like you’re always exhausted and need the time to rest and recharge, that’s understandable. But if you’re feeling that need more often than enough, you need to look at how/what’s draining your energy.
Evaluate your workday: Check your workload to see how you’re managing your energy. The less energy spent on the job, the more you could spend in your leisure time. Are you going out to lunch everyday with your coworkers? Try only a couple times a week. Are you on the phone a lot or in a meetings? Are you able to rearrange your schedule to designate certain hours for that?
Social life: Are you saying “yes” to every invitation you get? Or maybe you’re waiting around to be invited to things, but it ends up being things that are more exhausting for you, but you do it anyway because you want to spend time with your friends? How about thinking more about what you like to do and inviting others who will enjoy those things too.
Downtime To-Do lists: Maybe you need to spend some downtown outside of the house. Perhaps getting things done alone like going grocery shopping will help.
Unplug: Get offline. Sometimes an overload of information and stimulation can be very exhausting. And nowadays, that’s typical everyday life – to be online. This can easily be a sneaky deceiving energy drainer.
If you’re struggling to manage the downtime you need and not getting trapped in a lazy spell (or maybe you just need a little more motivation), please contact Crownview Medical Group to get in touch with a medical professional who can provide you with advice.
Source:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-introverts-corner/201603/am-i-introverted-or-am-i-lazy
