Party, by Anne Emond

I don’t know about the rest of y’all but I have a pretty serious introverted side. I need a fairly equal balance of social and alone time and if I don’t get it I start to become a mean, morose lady. I need lots of time to process things. Read books. Make things. Nap.

I think this temperament is exactly the reason why I spent so many years studying philosophy – for all the bombastic, sociable things I do, I need about equal time to come down from & make sense of them. When I was at school I always found that I had my best ideas in the bathtub or while out for a long walk, not in seminar. I’m not a student anymore, but I still do need to take time to just – think. It’s not that I expect to make some sort of significant intellectual discovery or anything, but that quiet time is still important.

Kate Beaton Reads 'Em Where They Lay

A big downside of working retail is that I have to “spend” my social time at work, whether I’d like to or not. I like my jobs, but working a lot can make me feel pretty run down. Needing to interrupt whatever I am doing to talk to customers about the weather, or having to put up a “back in five minutes” sign just so I can take a bathroom break isn’t difficult, but it can be emotionally taxing.

One thing that surprised me about getting some good treatment for depression is that it hasn’t decreased my desire for downtime. I do notice that I stay home less often from fear or anxiety and much more often out of a desire to work on a project or do something I’ll enjoy.

I find that the slower pace of the summertime usually lends itself to an increased need for time alone.  I’m gearing up for summer tour season which involves long nights of trying to get my dog to spoon with me & cooking dinners for one while listening to lots and lots of podcasts. I’m actually…pretty stoked.

The Rules of Flaking Out by Christie Young at Good Magazine