How to be a Comfortable Introvert in an Extroverted World

Are you drained by people, and energized by time alone? Prefer one on one company to huge crowds? Want to eat lunch alone rather than in a huge group? You may be an introvert, and daily living can be exhausting. Here's out to survive in a world that caters to extroverts.

Instructions

How to Be a Comfortable Introvert in an Extroverted World

1. Know your comfort level. If you are an introvert, you know about how much face time you can stand without losing your mind. Determine how much "recharge time" you need after being socially "on." Then do your best to save your "on" time for when you really need it. If you have a job where you must be on for quite awhile, do your best to build in small breaks. If you are lucky enough to have an office with a door that closes, use that door for ten minutes every hour, or more if you can. If you are a cube dweller, see if you can find time to take a short walk or otherwise be away from people for a bit each hour or so. Communicate by e-mail as much as possible.

2. Protect your lunch hour. It is sacred. If you are in a job where you are expected to eat with clients or have lunch meetings, do your best to do this once a week or less. If you must eat around a lot of other people, take your book and iPod to discourage kind people who "don't want you to eat alone." Put on headsets, even if you are not listening to anything. If you can arrange to take your lunch hour early or late, you can avoid the crowds and the likelihood that you will get stuck in a daily lunch group. Some introverts take a sack lunch and eat in in their car, or drive to a nearby park to eat.

3. Have a handy vague excuse ready for extroverts who insist on having everybody do every social work event. "Thank you, but I have an prior engagement" should suffice. Prior engagement may mean being home alone with a book and a cup of tea, but they do not need to know that.

4. Realize that extroverts do not usually understand introverts and do not take it personally. If you can't or won't accept an invitation, try to extend one to them that is more to your liking. If you want to turn down another party invitation but really like the person extending it, say you have a prior engagement, but you'd love to take them to coffee on anther night.

Resources

• Caring For Your Introvert
• The Hermit Loner
• Introverts in an Extrovert's World