For so many who are now at home more than ever, due to COVID-19, the idea of spending some time “alone” seems strange to many. Every day, we give of ourselves to our employees and supervisors, our organization, our co-workers and our customers, our significant others, our children and our parents, our siblings and our friends. So much of our time can be spent helping others. While this can give us some sense of satisfaction or gratification, do we tend to forget giving something to ourselves?
This was so vivid for me during my three years working in healthcare. The caregivers often did not put themselves on the list as someone for whom to take care. Their answers were inevitably that they didn’t have time. Well, we never have as much time as we want, we have to make that time.
Some people even equate making that “alone time” as being selfish. And there are many choices – it could be a walk, simple meditation, a relaxing bath or just enjoying a good book.
Anything we can do for ourselves, alone, is an opportunity to re-charge our batteries so that we can give more energy to others. If you run out of juice in your “batteries”, you won’t be good to anyone – at work or at home. What do you do for you? What do you do alone? How do you re-charge your batteries?
“Your solitude will be a support and a home for you, even in the midst of very unfamiliar circumstances, and from it you will find all your paths.” ~ Rainer Maria Rilke