10 Things Introverts Need to Thrive

It’s not a secret that introverts and extroverts have very different needs.

It’s also not a secret that extroverts outnumber introverts in the world. As a result, our society, systems, and understanding of “normal” are skewed in a more extroverted direction.

This means introverts often have to exercise a little more awareness and effort to build lives that they can be truly happy and successful in.

So today, we’re going to look at ten things introverts need to thrive.

Plenty of downtime to recharge

This is going to be at the top of pretty much any list that discusses introvert needs.

In order for introverts to truly thrive and be successful, we need downtime to recharge.

It’s not a luxury.

In order to have the energy necessary to be active members of our work, communities, and families, we need time alone.

Without enough downtime, introverts often feel rundown, strung out, and lost in a fog. This can result in an introvert hangover.

To avoid those negative situations, it’s important to make sure you get enough time to recharge.

A designated recharge space

There are two things you can do to make it easier to recharge. The first is having a designated space to recharge in.

This space is not only great for recharging, but it’s good for any time you feel like you’re introvert sensibilities are getting a little bit fried, and you just need a time out.

Having a place like this in your home will help you recharge more effectively because you can design it to meet your needs and you won’t have to scour the house looking for a calm quiet place when your energy is low.

For more on this, check out this post on how to create an introvert sanctuary.

Go-to recharge activities

The second thing you can do to recharge more effectively is to have a list of go-to recharge activities that work best for you.

It’s a lot easier to get the recharge you need if you can drop into an activity ASAP.

Part of developing this list may also include learning what you need at different levels of energy loss.

For example, at the end of a regular workday, some yoga and cooking may get the job done. But after a busier or chaotic workday, you may be better off with takeout and time on the couch watching your favorite show.

And when you’re really fried, the best thing you can do for yourself may be crashing in bed and sleeping.

Taking the time to figure out what activities will help you raise your energy levels will help you get back to being your thriving best as quickly as possible.

If you’re looking for suggestions, here are some activities to consider.

A small group of good friends

Introverts do like to socialize but we tend to do better with a small group of good friends, compared to a large group, or a large number of friends.

Small groups typically allow for deeper connections and conversations that bring out the inner world of an introvert, which is much more interesting to us than the outer world.

This small group of friends should be both encouraging and supportive, and not judge us when we need to opt-out of events or sometimes feel overwhelmed in overly stimulating or social situations.

An understanding support system

In order to truly thrive, it’s important that every introvert has a support system that understands their introverted needs and tendencies.

In this case, we may be talking about family, friends, or both.

These people don’t have to be other introverts. They can be extroverts who have taken an interest in understanding and supporting us.

Regardless, in order to be our best, we need people who will respect our need for quiet and space, and who won’t guilt us or drag us out into the world when we’re tired or run down.

In fact, we need people who will do more than just respect our space and downtime. We need people who will help us protect it. We need people who won’t just leave us alone, but also make sure others stay away as well.

Independent work environment

In school, introverts were the most likely to ask to work on a group project alone.

It’s not that we don’t work well with others–in fact, most introverts work great in teams.

But we often work better on our own. This can mean doing work that is solely our responsibility or working independently on a task that’s a part of a bigger picture.

It’s also incredibly helpful if we have our own workspace.

Introverts lose energy when they’re around others, so open workspaces or sharing space with a lot of people can be really draining.

Again, it’s not that introverts can’t share space. We can. But to truly thrive and do our best work, we’re better off alone.

Supportive work environment

Introverts also do a lot better if they have a boss, coworkers, and work environment that’s supportive and adaptive to its employees.

Like we mentioned, the world was built primarily by extroverts, with extroverted tendencies in mind. That means for most introverts to really succeed at our jobs, we may need to ask for some modifications.

Introverts will be far more successful at work if we have a culture that’s interested in meeting the needs of each employee as opposed to forcing each employee to fit into a rigid, predetermined system.

Work or hobbies that ignites our inner worlds

Part of being an introvert means having a rich, vibrant inner world.

In order for introverts to really thrive in life, we need to feed their inner world on a regular basis. This can be done with a job or with our hobbies.

Life is typically more fulfilling for introverts if our income is tied to our interests. But ultimately, introverts can thrive as long as we are feeding our inner world in some way.

This may mean going to work for a paycheck, but coming home to write, paint, make music, or do whatever brings our inner world to life.

It doesn’t matter how this need is met, but it often needs to be met in some fashion if an introvert is truly going to thrive.

Control over our own social schedule

Introverts need to be able to turn down invites, block out downtime, and spend time with our friends and family as we see fit.

This will help us balance their energy levels, and be our best for the events we show up at.

If an introvert doesn’t have control over our own social schedule, we’re far more likely to feel drained and run down on a regular basis.

Introverts need to not only be in charge of our own schedules but we need to be able to turn down activities without feeling guilty or obligated to attend something we don’t have the energy for.

An introvert’s energy is incredibly valuable and it’s important that we get to spend it in the way that works best for each of us.

Regular self-check ins

In order for an introvert to truly thrive, we need to practice regularly checking in with our energy levels, and be honest about what we can and cannot do.

Our society is wired to go-go-go, but when we introverts try to keep up with that, we burn out fast.

If we expect to truly thrive, we need to be realistic about what we do and don’t have the energy for, what we can and can’t do, what is and isn’t working for us, and when we need to recharge.

How can we expect to set ourselves up for success if we can’t even identify what we need to succeed?

We can’t.

So if we’re truly going to thrive, checking in with ourselves regularly is a must.

Looking for more in-depth tips on how to build a thriving introvert life?

If you want to dig a little deeper into this topic, check out the Introvert Life Guide!

This guide was designed to help you build the introvert life of your dreams.

It will also help you embrace your introverted nature and build a life to help you thrive!

For more introvert life tips, check out the other introvert posts!

Sound off: What have you noticed that you need to thrive as an introvert? Tell us about it in the comments!