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The Benefits Of Living Alone & How To Make It Work For You

Author:

Acamea Deadwiler, M.S.

July 17, 2021

By Acamea Deadwiler, M.S.

mbg Contributor

Acamea Deadwiler, M.S., is a freelancer writer and the author of 'Single That.' She has a bachelor's degree in public affairs from Indiana University Northwest and a master's degree in communications from Valparaiso University.

July 17, 2021

Living alone can be challenging if you grew up in a large family or have just always come home to other people. Whether you're a recent empty-nester, breaking up with a live-in partner, moving out of your parents' house, or leaving your roommate days behind, adjusting to an empty abode can be a challenge or a welcome change. Either way, the circumstance takes some getting used to—but the transition can definitely be worthwhile.

Living alone for the first time.

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It's natural to feel a bit nervous when contemplating a significant life change. "Living alone, especially if it's for the first time or even after a transition, can be a very emotional experience," says Rikki Clark McCoy, LCSW. "There may be feelings of sadness or loneliness, but living alone can also be a time of learning to love yourself."

Your home is your refuge. It should be a place where you feel safe and comfortable. If you live with other people and don't feel this way, it's a key indicator that the time has come to get your own place.

You may just have a strong desire for more peace and quiet or sense that you've outgrown your current environment. Maybe sharing your body wash with someone was always fine, but now it bothers you. If it seems that everything everyone in the house is doing annoys you, that could be a sign that it's time to go as well. Spare them your unwarranted wrath, and spare yourself the unnecessary agony. You could also be perfectly content with your housemates but are just ready to cultivate more independence.

Give yourself some time to sit with the decision if your situation allows. No need to be hasty if you're in healthy surroundings. If you want to test the waters just a little bit, stay in a hotel room or an Airbnb apartment by yourself for a few days to see how you like the solitude.

Benefits of living on your own.

When you share a place of residence with other adults, you often share expenses. This is one of the most coveted advantages of having roommates or a live-in partner. It's much easier on your finances.

However, there are also many benefits of living alone:

You have access to social time without being forced into it.

"Living alone doesn't mean you are lonely," psychologist Fiana Andrews, EdS, CPsych, assures us. "You can enjoy your own company and enjoy the company of others. The difference between you and someone who lives with others is that you can choose the times you want to have company."

You have your own space—and usually more of it.

You're no longer confined to a bedroom for privacy and storage. When you live alone, the entire place is your personal bubble. You can do whatever you want, wherever you want. You're free to place items anywhere you choose and decorate to your heart's content. Want to put a craft table in the kitchen or an extra clothing rack in the living room? Go for it. The space is all yours.

It's empowering.

You're the boss of your domain. All of your decisions are final. When you live alone, you take on added responsibility. You may have to become proficient at tasks someone else in your household used to manage—like budgeting, cooking, and making minor repairs. This can be an ideal situation for life skill development and learning to trust yourself.

You get to know yourself better.

Living alone allows you to spend time with yourself that is absent of outside influence. This is when you really have an opportunity to pay attention to where you are, what you need, and what brings you joy. McCoy calls it "checking in with yourself."

How to know if it's not for you.

There are pros and cons to both solo occupancy and sharing your space with others. Choose the living situation that best supports your well-being. Having your own spot may not be for you, and that's OK so long as you're not staying in a detrimental relationship or environment to avoid being alone. A few signs that you may not enjoy the experience, at least not right now, include:

You don't enjoy the moments you already have to yourself.
The thought of maintaining a household on your own feels exhausting.
You're going through a tough time or are emotionally distressed.
You feel a strong sense of loneliness even though you cohabitate.

Tips to make the best of it.

Even if you enjoy your newfound personal space and living alone overall, you may still get lonely sometimes. Everyone does. You just don't want it to consume you. Here are some living-alone tips that will help keep loneliness from lingering:

Establish daily routines.

One of the first things McCoy suggests her clients learn when adjusting to living alone is effective time management. "It's common that loneliness peaks in the morning and at night when we don't have much going on," she explains. Establishing routines for both time periods can help keep you occupied with healthy activities.

For your morning routine, McCoy recommends starting the day with something other than checking the notifications on your phone. "This can be a 10- to 15-minute activity such as meditation, prayer, stretching, or a yoga flow." Once you're up and running, she says it's good to eat breakfast and put clothes on even if you're not leaving the house. "Getting dressed can also boost your mood and help create a positive headspace to tackle the day."

As far as your nighttime ritual, it should help you maintain some structure and prepare for a good night's sleep. McCoy likes aromatherapy for its soothing effects. You could also journal or even practice a nightly skin care routine.

Limit your time on social media.

Being mindful of how long you're on social media is something McCoy emphasizes. "Is it a simple scroll through your timeline, or are you losing track of time and on social media for hours?" She notes that the more we're on the platform, the more we're likely to compare ourselves to others. This will intensify your feelings of loneliness if it looks like everyone except you is in love or having tons of fun with friends. (Here's more on how social media affects relationships.)

"Replace that time with other activities such as reading, listening to a podcast, or doing something for yourself," McCoy recommends. "This gets you out of your head and into the present moment, which is learning to be comfortable on your own."

Stay connected with loved ones.

Andrews says that as soon as you start to feel isolated, you should make a "quick connection." That might be texting a good friend or video calling a family member. Don't allow the feeling to fester.

Just because you no longer live with roommates or loved ones doesn't mean you should detach from them. "Although we want to be comfortable with our solitude, it is still healthy to connect with your support system," McCoy points out. "Stay connected with people who bring you joy and support you. This includes family and friends."

Make new connections.

Both Andrews and McCoy recommend using apps like Meetup and Eventbrite to gather (online or in person) with like-minded people. Whatever you enjoy doing, there are other people who enjoy doing it too. Getting together with them can help curb loneliness.

The bottom line.

There's a difference between loneliness and being alone. It's crucial to your psyche to make that distinction and not believe that because you live alone, you're on an island and no one cares about you. Learn how to cope with living alone and what you need to thrive in the environment. Things like making your place feel like home and indulging in self-care can go a long way. Soon, you probably won't remember how you managed without your own space.