Here’s why it’s crucial to treat yourself
You have probably heard about how important it is to take care of your body and eat right, but do you really take much time to treat yourself?
At some point, we all need time to relax, reflect and recharge. I’m talking about intentional isolation.
Now, being alone too long is bad and research shows social isolation results in a much lower quality of life. To clarify, I’m talking about taking time for yourself and getting to know yourself. You can’t expect to show everyone else how cool you are if you don’t believe it yourself.
As a college student, you live a busy life and you need time to relax. Being alone can give you time to think about what you’re doing in life and in school and take in everything that’s going on around you . Sometimes, you have to stop and smell the roses.
Intentional isolation can help your creativity. Inventor and engineer Nikola Tesla once said: “Be alone, that is the secret of invention; be alone, that is when ideas are born.” Think about it — why do authors and artists like to be alone when they’re working? Why do they keep a small circle? When you’re alone you don’t have anyone influencing your thoughts or ideas. It’s up to you to make something happen.
You don’t necessarily need to relax when alone to reap intentional isolation’s benefits. Some people just need to go for a run or workout. The important thing is that it’s just you and your thoughts. When you have that moment to yourself, you recharge and gain clarity on your life — clarity on who you are, your relationships and what you’re going to do moving forward.
In this connected age, it’s good to disconnect from social media sometimes. People should leave some things to mystery — I don’t feel that everybody needs to receive a minute-by-minute of my life every day. Consider deleting Facebook or Snapchat for a couple days at a time and see what effect it has.
Bottom line — we should not underestimate the importance of intentional isolation. Disconnect yourself briefly and use the time to reflect, recharge and relax. We’re not machines — it’s okay to take a break, and it will benefit you in the long run.
For more info on this topic, check out the links below and check out our other blog posts about mental health.
References:
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1745691614568352
