The Power of Working Alone
The corporate world today puts excessive emphasis on meetings and collaboration. This is because teamwork is praised as the best and guaranteed method for success in many industries. But choosing collaboration as the solution for anything and everything is a nuisance. Secondly, employees and managers don’t encourage or openly talk about it to avoid becoming an outcast. However, some of the obvious irritants of teamwork are,
Conflicts and Communication Issues — When working with multiple people, a lot of time is wasted to ensure that everyone is on the same page and avoid misunderstandings.
Lack of Autonomy — In a team environment, no one will have autonomy other than the most senior or powerful person in the room. And, obviously, his or her suggestions become the group decision claimed as happily agreed upon by everyone. Junior members won’t be able to override the decision even if they have a superior suggestion.
Inefficient Processes and Decision-Making — Working in a team also leads to inefficient processes and decision-making. When too many people are involved in a project, it’s difficult to make decisions quickly and efficiently.
Unequal Contribution and Accountability — Certain team members may contribute more to a project than others. But when the cake is shared equally among everyone it creates resentment toward such team members whose contributions are not rewarded proportionately.
Groupthink — Another hassle is conforming to groupthink. This means team members have to conform to the opinions of the majority, rather than thinking critically and independently. This results in individual ideas being dismissed or ignored in favor of the group consensus.
Escape Route — When stressful meetings go on for a long time and bladders are full the natural tendency is to just agree on whatever crap ideas are suggested just to get out of the meeting. So, teamwork will not always result in the best ideas being selected.
Although collaboration and teamwork are important in many fields, there are enormous benefits to working alone. Working in a team may seem good when you are a junior employee but once you have the necessary age, experience, and knowledge working alone can bring a multitude of benefits that can significantly impact your life and career. Some people think being alone is bad behavior. The common assumption is that you are antisocial, criminal, secretive, selfish, incompatible, or have some other problem dealing with people. This is because we have been taught that humans are social animals and always need other humans by our side. However, being alone isn’t always a bad thing. Here are a bunch of benefits that you will notice once you learn to embrace solitude.
Freedom to Control Your Own Schedule — When you work alone, you have the freedom to create your own schedule and work when you are most productive. You don’t have to worry about office politics or dealing with difficult coworkers. You can avoid distractions that come with working in a team environment. This can help you maintain a healthy work-life balance and allow you to prioritize your personal life.
You can Recharge — When you spend all your time with others you are expending a lot of energy. Interacting with people involves making them happy, making them laugh, soothing their egos, controlling your thoughts, reading their minds, avoiding conflicts, and all of the other hassles that come along with regular interaction. But if you are alone then you can direct that energy to your self-improvement.
Ability to Focus — Working alone can help you maintain focus and increase productivity. When you are not distracted by coworkers or office noise, you can concentrate on your tasks and get more work done in less time. This also helps you avoid the stress of multitasking and allows you to give your full attention to the task at hand.
Opportunity for Creative Freedom — Working alone also provides the opportunity for creative freedom. When you are the sole decision-maker, you can pursue projects that you are passionate about and use your skills and creativity to their fullest potential. This can help you develop a unique voice and style that sets you apart from others in your field.
No Need for Approval — When you work alone, you don’t have to seek approval from others. This means that you can make decisions quickly and efficiently, without worrying about the opinions or approval of others. This can help you be more confident in your work and allow you to take risks that might not be possible in a team environment.
Reduced Stress and Anxiety — Working alone can also reduce stress and anxiety. When you are not constantly surrounded by coworkers and distractions, you can create a peaceful and calming work environment that helps you stay focused and productive. This can also reduce the stress of commuting, as you can work from anywhere and avoid rush hour traffic.
Creativity — Without distractions from other people your artistic mind crawls out. It’s like colorful and rare birds coming out when you are watching them quietly in a forest. Being alone also allows you to be occupied in your own thoughts and discover your own voice. It’s only in solitude that when you discover your true identity and means of expression. You are free from any interruptions or outside opinions. You will feel the amazing power of silence.
You learn Self-Reflection — When life is always moving at a crazy fast pace you will have no time for self-reflection. But being alone and quiet gives you the perfect opportunity for a little self-reflection and focus inwards. This will also enable your spiritual and philosophical side.
Increased Autonomy — Working alone provides increased autonomy, which means that you can shape your career and work on projects that align with your personal values and goals. This can lead to a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction in your work, as you can create your own path and make your own decisions.
You will become Productive — Being in the company of other people can be entertaining, but it can also affect your productivity. Constant company of other people is a distraction from getting your work done. For example, you cannot sit and read a book, write an article, or enjoy your hobbies peacefully when you are in the company of others. But when you are alone you have the freedom to do what you want without others breathing down your neck. Time spent alone can enhance your productivity because there are fewer distractions and you can concentrate fully on your work.
You will become Independent — When you are in the company of others you are not fully independent. Also, they may be handling many tasks and responsibilities that you may never bother to learn. But if you are alone you will have to do everything yourself. So you must learn every task necessary in advance to survive alone.
Restore your Health — Solitude also gives you a chance to relax and recover from stress. People don’t realize the toll our hectic day may take on them. For example, your daily commute, sleep routines, distractions, irritating people, and so on all have an invisible impact on your lives. Over time, this can cause serious mental health issues. But if you can be alone you can discharge that stress, sleep more, have less noise, etc., and regain your health.
No Apology or Validation — When you enjoy being alone you don’t have to apologize for what you’ve done. When you are in the company of other people you have to constantly watch what you say or do to avoid hurting someone’s feelings. But when you are alone you don’t have to apologize for anything. And that takes a lot of pressure out of most situations. You can stop second-guessing everything you say or do because someone is going to be offended or angered. Another issue is validation. Often, we feel the need to get acceptance from our friends, family, or team before we take many actions. You constantly look to other people for advice on what you should do next. But when you are alone you will stop looking for validation.
Quotes by Famous People
Be alone. That is the secret of invention: be alone, that is when ideas are born — Nikola Tesla
Without great solitude, no serious work is possible — Pablo Picasso
The best thinking has been done in solitude — Thomas A. Edison
Be a loner. That gives you time to wonder, to search for the truth. Have holy curiosity. Make your life worth living — Albert Einstein
Solitude isn’t loneliness. Solitude is when the entire serene universe seems to surround and hold you quietly — Victoria Erickson
Solitude is a great teacher, and to learn its lessons you must pay attention to it — Deepak Chopra
Solitude is the attribute of the strong. The weak are always found in the crowd — Unknown
~ 🤵 About the Author — Thejendra Sreenivas was a Technology Manager in the IT industry for nearly 30 years. He is now a Book Publishing Coach and helps authors to Self-Publish their books Worldwide on Amazon and Non-Amazon retailers. He has written 30+ books on various topics. Visit his online cave — www.thejendra.com for more details and download a ~ 📕 Free eBook on Mental Health Rejuvenation.
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