A Healthy Balance of Alone Time and Community

I don’t know about you, but I definitely NEED alone time to remain mentally stable lol. Different people recharge in all different ways but I definitely recharge alone in my room with a good book or in my kitchen cooking a good meal. I am probably the biggest advocate on intentional alone time. This isn’t to say that I am always home or that I don’t like people. I’m actually rarely home and almost always with people. But it is to say that I place a high value on alone time. And I always make an effort to prioritize it.

My pastor preached a message a few weeks ago about filling your cup first. He went over the idea that you can’t pour from an empty cup. I have seen this advice come into fruition in my own life countless times. Yet, only after hearing his message did it really begin to stick.

We all live busy lives and I know it can be intimidating to add another thing onto your to do list. But making time to recharge only saves time by allowing us to perform better and more efficiently in our daily lives.

Alone Time:

Aside from the fact that alone time is actually beneficially to your mental well-being and vital in preventing burn-out. Alone time is an essential part of life. At one point or another you’re not going to have a choice whether or not you are alone, so you might as well learn to enjoy it. But when can we fit intentional time with ourselves into our busy schedules?

Set a specific time aside that will work for you. For me (and most people) this is typically between the hours of 5AM and 7AM and/or 8PM and 10PM. But maybe for you this is during your lunch break in the middle of the day. I typically do not like to do anything with friends or roommates during those hours. (Although this can definitely be challenging when plans arise or when my roommates are in the living room!) I try to be intentional with spending time alone in my bedroom. Whether this time is my “quiet time” that I spend with God, or my mindless fun time doing an activity that is solely for my enjoyment.

Community:

As essential as alone time is, spending time in community is also SO IMPORTANT.

There have been times in my life where I have forgotten the importance of community. Or times where I didn’t properly prioritize spending quality time with my friends when life gets busy. We are meant to pour into each other and pick up each others slack when life is hard. Allow the good people around you to fill your cup, and pour into those same people when your cup overflows. God created us to live in community, so take advantage of this gift.

Balance:

Everything in life requires balance and how you spend your time is definitely no different. It is so important to maintain a healthy balance of intentional alone time and time spent in community.

No goal is a linear path, but this past semester I truly feel like I have gotten into a great habit of balancing my time. I am constantly busy yet not burned out, I am doing so many fun things yet I get everything done. I am keeping up with my workout routines. And I fully credit this progress to filling my cup FIRST.

Balance: How do I fill my cup & keep it FULL

1.Spending quiet time with God EVERY DAY – Getting in the word, praying, and just being intentional with the time I do have.

2.Doing things for ME for FUN and with no PRESSURE – Read a book, sit in the sauna, watch a show. I am all for productivity, but sometimes mindless activities are essential to our well-being.

3.Reflecting – Gratitude journal, being aware of my emotions, tracking my workouts, being intentional.

4.Plan ahead – Life is busy, we have six hundred different things going on, be pro-active, be organized, and make sure you KNOW what needs to be done, where you need to be, and WHEN!

5.Make time for good people – Allow others to pour into ME, life isn’t meant to be lived alone, so get together with friends and community who fill me up.

-xoxo, jenny <3