July 23, 2020

For too long, introverts have been maligned and misunderstood—deemed the weaker personality type due to their preferred desire to spend time alone, recharge in solitude and seek out the quieter corners of life.

But as we continue to pivot in response to COVID-19 and adapt to new ways of working, living and socialising—the lessons our introverted buddies can teach us have become more important and helpful than ever before. Here’s why.

Re-charge to charge on

The beauty of being able to spend quality downtime on your own, means most introverts tend to feel much more rested and relaxed when it finally comes time to socialise with the rest of the world.

This means social or professional interactions become more enjoyable, less stressful and even more meaningful as we’re not already distracted, exhausted or overloaded with information.

Work from home? You got it!

Is there any other group happier to be working from home right now than the mighty introverts? Yep, you guessed it, our favourite solitary creatures had the WFH spiel down pat even before lockdown became an everyday reality.

While most extroverts have struggled to some degree with the isolation of being away from their teams and the social aspects of being in the office (hello tea break chats and coffee runs), introverts have proven themselves to be more resilient – adapting to the changing solo-work situations with ease.

Dig a little deeper

While many extroverts process information super quickly and tend to speak before they think, introverts take the time to consider what’s really going on and then process this information thoughtfully.

Not only does this make them better active listeners, but the advice and responses they give also tend to be filled with genuine insight as they’re able to remove themselves from the discussion and focus on the subject or topic at hand.

Engaging your inner introvert

OK, so it’s not like we suddenly flip a switch and become an introvert – this level of chill and quiet takes some effort. To get started, take the time to really consider the valuable qualities most introverts possess – these include everything from choosing their words wisely, observing their surroundings with a keen eye (most extraverts are too busy talking), leading with compassion, and presenting thoughts and ideas in a considered fashion.