If you’ve ever felt a huge sense of relief when a friend cancels plans at the last minute and you get to spend the evening by yourself with a good book, then you’re not alone – and it turns out that you may be onto something.
New research has confirmed that spending small amounts of time alone can actually offer you one big benefit…
According to scientists from the University of Buffalo in the US, one particular type of solitude – known as ‘unsociability’ – helps boost your creativity.
The study, published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, explored the reasons why people decide to opt out of social interaction.
While the results showed that many withdraw socially because of issues including anxiety or shyness, the team discovered that a number of the 295 participants involved were motivated by what they’re calling “non-fearful preferences for solitude”.
Basically, these people choose to spend time alone not because they’re antisocial but because they actually enjoy some solitude…
And it looks like their ‘me time’ may help them be more creative.
“They are not antisocial,” explained study author Julie Bowke. “They don’t initiate interaction, but also don’t appear to turn down social invitations from peers.
“Therefore, they may get just enough peer interaction so that when they are alone, they are able to enjoy that solitude. They’re able to think creatively and develop new ideas – like an artist in a studio or the academic in his or her office.”
She added: “Over the years, unsociability has been characterised as a relatively benign form of social withdrawal.
“But, with the new findings linking it to creativity, we think unsociability may be better characterised as a potentially beneficial form of social withdrawal.”
