If you’re an introvert who’s found yourself living (or being pressured to live) an extroverted life, you’re not alone.
It’s one of the side effects of our predominately extroverted society. Ultimately, our world was designed for extroverts to thrive in.
But this doesn’t mean introverts can’t build happy lives! It just means we have to make some changes and modifications from what’s traditionally considered “normal.”
However, you shouldn’t feel like you have to turn your life upside down. In fact, there are plenty of small modifications you can make to drastically improve your introvert life.
Today, we’re looking at eight changes you can make to improve your introvert life.
Say “no” 25% more
If you’re someone who finds yourself agreeing to things you really don’t have the energy for, learning to say no is a helpful skill to learn.
However, if you’re someone who needs some practice saying no or has some guilt or anxiety over the prospect, you don’t have to go from zero to sixty.
For now, work on saying no 25% more frequently than you currently do. You can do even less if 25% still seems like too much.
Try starting with events you truly want no parts or invites you are far too exhausted to accept.
Ultimately, this will get you 25% more free time. The more you benefit from this time and the more practice you get, the easier it will be to say no in the future.
This means you’ll be able to increase your “no” rate slowly until you find yourself only agreeing to things you both want to do and have the energy to enjoy.
For more tips on saying no, check out this post!
Get used to carrying headphones with you
Just because you’re out in the world doesn’t mean you always have the energy to interact with people.
Perhaps you’re commuting home after along day and don’t want to make small talk with the people on the train. Or maybe you want to take your lunch break in peace without having your co-worker talk your ear off.
Headphones can be a great way to protect some of your peace and energy if you have to be in an open or busy environment.
Headphones are a universal Do Not Disturb sign. Even if you’re not listening to music, having headphones in your ears makes you look much less approachable.
Naturally, not everyone honors this sign, but you’re likely to cut down on majority of unwanted interactions.
And if someone does approach you and you really don’t want to be bothered, you can always pretend you can’t hear over the music. 😉
Spend a little more time in nature
Nature gives introverts time to disconnect from the busy world and recharge at a slower, steadier pace.
Nature encourages solitude and small groups, which are big wins for introverts.
Additionally, he quiet and detachment that comes from nature can make for a wonderful recharge activity.
An easy way to add a little bit of nature to your life is to plan a one hour walk in a more natural setting.
If you live in a city, this can be a park, garden, or along a river.
You can increase your time in nature if you find it beneficial, but one hour is a great, manageable place to start.
For more on how nature can be good for introverts, check out this post.
Make time to create
Part of being an introvert is having a rich inner world. Often times, it can be difficult for us to share and express this world.
It’s not always that we don’t want to–a lot of times, it simply that we don’t have the language for it.
That’s where creative activities come in. If you’re more of an artist, writing, painting, making music, etc, may give you a vehicle to express and share your inner world with others.
If you’re not very artistic, engaging in a creative hobby, like crafting, wood work, or paint by numbers, may give you a physical project to latch on to. This can help pull you out of your inner world enough to have some perspective.
In this case, it’s possible that you’ll be able to better express yourself if you’ve had a little space from your thoughts.
Schedule your downtime
Downtime may seem like a luxury, but it’s really not–especially for introverts. In fact, it’s often essential for our health, productivity, and happiness.
As a result, you’ll likely find a drastic improvement in your life if stop taking downtime when you can get it and start making it an actual priority.
Try scheduling your downtime just like you would any other appointment or plans with a friend.
And once you schedule it, protect it. If someone asks for a non-essential task to be completed during your downtime, simply tell them you have plans and pick another time.
For more on why downtime is so important for introverts, check out this post.
Leave work on time
If you’re not someone who leaves work on time, try to change that! This is especially true if you work in a busy or crowded environment.
Most jobs are going to take a fair amount of energy. If you combine that with a busy work environment and introversion it’s a recipe for exhaustion, burn out, and an introvert hangover.
When your shift is over, and your work day ends, go home. Your work will still be there the following day. And if you take the time to recharge, you’ll likely be more effective when you return.
Of course, this won’t apply to everyone. Non-traditional jobs are more common than ever.
Some people may not have set hours or a consistent schedule. Still, you’ll likely find you improve your introvert life signifigantly if you can put some concrete separation between your work and your life.
And if you can’t, it might be worth thinking about another job. Here are nine introvert-friendly careers!
Silence your phone more often
Cell phones are great! They have made it possible for us to stay in touch with others, order food, and play games without getting off our couch.
And for these reasons, these devices have significantly improved many introverts’ lives.
However, they also make us a lot more accessible. You can be recharging on your couch after a long day, only to find your extroverted coworker calling to dissect the day’s events.
Even if you let the call go to voicemail, the idea you’ll have to call them back may keep you from getting the full recharge you need.
Taking time to unplug and silence your phone can help you get a better quality recharge time, which will make you better for yourself and everyone in your life.
And if you’re concerned about being reached in an emergency, most phones have override settings. For example, if someone calls twice within 10 minutes it’ll put the second call through.
So as long as your VIPs know how to override your phone, you give yourself some peace.
Build an introvert sanctuary
If you’ve spent anytime on this blog before, you probably know how big a believer I am in the power of introvert sanctuaries.
If you’re new, an introvert sanctuary is basically a very cozy and comfortable place for you to look forward to recharging in.
Building an introvert sanctuary can be as involved or simple as you want it to be.
It’s also something you can do slowly, piece by piece over time. So you can totally start small and still improve your introvert life.
If you don’t have an introvert sanctuary, getting one started will likely give you a big pay off. And once you get going, you can continue to add to it.
And if you do have an introvert sanctuary, always be on the lookout for small additions and changes to make.
In fact, you may want to make it a point to check in with your sanctuary a few times a year.
Looking for more tips on how to manage your introverted life?
If you want more tips and tricks on how to manage your introvert life and build plenty of healthy introvert habits, check out the Introvert Life Guide!
This guide was designed to help you build the introvert life of your dreams. And it’s full of plenty of tips, tricks, and ideas to help you create an introvert life that’s uniquely yours!
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 are some small things you’ve done to improve your introvert life? Tell us about it in the comments!