Introvert Pride

If I asked what the most precious asset we have in life is, what would you say? Money? No, we can always recoup that. Love? We can find it in different people and places. Health? While important, a person can reverse a decline if they act soon enough -- whether by losing weight, going to the doctor more often, and so on. So what is the most precious resource we have, you ask? It's none other than time, and introverts are cognizant of it. Sure, you can find ways to better organize your time so that there's more of it to go around -- whether for friends, hobbies, or sheer relaxation.  Perhaps it entails taking a less demanding job, moving closer to work to shave time off your commute, or using services like Uber Eats and Instacart to have food delivered. It's about doing little things to tweak your daily routine so that less time is spent on minutiae.  But here's the thing: No matter what you do tomorrow, today isn't coming back -- ever. The time you're spending r...

Not all intellectuals are introverts, but I would wager that all introverts are in fact intellectuals.  I'll use myself as an example. If I'm not learning something new, I'm probably bored out of my mind.  And if a book, TV, or my phone aren't readily accessible -- to consume documentaries and other educational content, of course -- then I have no choice but to depend on my thoughts to pass the time.  Such thoughts might encompass: How the history or psychology book I'm currently reading might end, or what tome from my bookshelf I'll grab next  How the pandemic might factor into consumer spending patterns going forward How many/which people have lived in my condo since the property was built  Why certain people in my orbit behave the way they do  Because introverts are at their best when fueled with knowledge, it's no wonder we delve deeply into subjects about which we're passionate -- whether it be architecture, nature, philosophy, or literature.  On ...

Call any introvert words like "nerd" or "geek" and you're bound to get a surprising response -- that is, if you intended to come off as insulting.  Indeed, we are likely to reply with a zealous "thanks!" But why would introverts like me not take offense to being labeled a nerd?  After all, in pop culture -- namely sitcoms like Saved by the Bell and Family Matters -- nerds are portrayed as losers who spend all their time studying and who couldn't land a date to save their lives.  It's because we recognize that our intellectual inclinations -- devouring books, writing prolifically, consuming educational films and documentaries, virtually living at museums -- makes us unique. We can't help but to seek intellectual stimulation any way we can. Our curious minds demand it; if not, we get bored and lose total focus.  That's not to say the average person doesn't do these things every now and then. But most introverts make a pastime -- a way...

If you were to ask most people at my company whether they'd want to retain the ability to work from home post-pandemic, they would give you an unequivocal "yes." And that includes extroverts whom, though they miss the in-person interactions characteristic of a traditional workplace setting, recognize the perks of working remotely, like working in one's pajamas, saving on gas, being able to get out of bed and walk right to work, and in some cases even spending more time with family. It's plain to see why introverts would be the biggest (maybe not the loudest, but definitely biggest) supporters of this kind of arrangement: We can leverage our preference for communicating in writing (via email, Teams, IM, etc.) -- which affords us the opportunity to think through what we want to say --without feeling as much pressure to be "quick" on our feet. It's nice not to have to attend lengthy in-person meetings where nothing gets resolved. Phone/Teams meetings ca...

It's a common misconception that introverts want to be left alone all the time. Sure, we're not as prone as extroverts to becoming lonely and irritable in our own company, but that doesn't mean we avoid social interactions like the plague. We like to socialize, only in smaller doses than our more extroverted peers.  Here's how to keep us from exhausting our energy reserves: 1. Allow us small breaks to disconnect every now and then . Don't take offense to our wanting to go for a walk or take a nap. Perhaps we're drained after spending the day in drawn-out meetings.  2. A stampede of people? No, thanks.  Keep it to a small group of no more than 5 to 10 people, if possible. Introverts feel far more in their element when they can engage in one-on-one conversation. For us, more people usually translates to small talk on steroids. Needless to say, there aren't many things we loathe more than mindless chit-chat. 3. Don't block the exits. Heavy noise and commoti...

Introverts want this pandemic to be over with just as much as anyone else. We look forward to the day that rising infections, mounting deaths, and economic hardship precipitated by this terrible virus will be a thing of the past. But to say we don't appreciate the perks and flexibility of being locked down would be a bald-faced lie.  For starters, introverts are more inclined to stay home than most, as it affords them the opportunity to devour their books, catch up on documentaries, and enjoy other solitary activities. Now that, for the time being, many of us don't have to worry about getting stuck in traffic on our drive to work or waiting in line to get a table at a packed restaurant, it leaves us with more time for enriching activities at home.  Maybe we can finally launch that catering business or write that fiction novel we've been putting off for years.  Now, that isn't to say we aren't working harder than ever. The lines between work and leisure can easily be...

Many people know of introversion , but they don't have the foggiest idea who came up with the word. Don't feel bad; I didn't know myself until recently. Want to take a stab at it? Here's a hint: It was not Sigmund Freud, though that would make a logical guess. Introversion , the tendency to become preoccupied with one's own thoughts and feelings rather than external stimuli, was popularized by none other than Carl Jung, the Swiss psychoanalyst and psychiatrist who also coined the terms collective unconscious and analytical psychology. Unlike extroverts, who become energized while in the presence of large numbers of people, introverts are inward-oriented. They gain energy from reflection and lose energy in noisy social gatherings.  This in no way implies introverts are misanthropic loners, a common misconception. Misanthropes are those who, put simply, would rather stick a fork in their eye than have to deal with people. They loathe humankind with every fiber in thei...