6 Introvert Strategies For Thriving at the office
Being an introvert comes with its own advantages and challenges.
If you work in an office, especially in an open-concept office, you've probably noticed that being around people constantly is not conducive to your productivity and effectiveness.
I worked from home or on the road as a solo creator for many years, so when I moved into an office environment I knew I’d have to adapt—adapt myself and adapt my environment as much as possible. I wanted to thrive. I didn’t want to get crushed by the system.
With a lot of trial and persistence, I can now say it IS possible to thrive.
Here are the key strategies for thriving as an Introvert at work:
Ask About working remotely one or two days a week.
I've even heard stories of companies now telling their employees they have to work remotely two or three days a week and supplying them laptops so they can work from home. This trend can be a lifesaver for an introvert. I noticed that when I had to show up at an office with people around me five days a week, on Saturday all I wanted to do was sit in my room and be alone. As an introvert, being around people uses up some of my energy resources, even if I’m not talking to them. This is energy used up which I prefer to direct to the work. Regular interruptions by coworkers and simply the constant movement and noise of other humans in the office takes up brain power because my conscious mind has to do divert some attention to either blocking that external noise or taking it in and responding to people.
Once I became aware that it was not just my imagination, that my mental resources were truly being drained or misallocated just by being physically in an office, I did whatever I could to help myself work better. My team started working remotely on Mondays and this has made a huge difference.
Change your work hours to minimize the commute.
It's no secret that sitting in traffic is draining. The noise, the people’s energy, the chaotic atmosphere, the fear of crocheting mixed with the rush of being on time is like a stress cocktail. And to drink this cocktail before you've even started you're producing work? That is difficult. Thankfully, many companies now offer flexible hours, meaning you can come in for 7-3, 8-4 or 9-5, or 10-6.
Find what works for you so that you can be most effective at work. It is ultimately in your employer’s best interests for you to be alert and awake each day at work. Think through your options and then have a conversation with your boss. (As an introvert, you may not like having conversations like this with your boss, but you gotta do it if you want to thrive!)
Create a physical work environment that nurtures your nature.
I have a small salt lamp on my desk right in front of my computer. I have also placed at my desk by a window. Early on in my job, I told my boss that I could not sit for long periods of time. I can work for long periods of time, but sitting decreases the quality of my work because my body hurts and my lower back will it start acting up. In fact, what happens is my hips tighten up, and it feels as though energy has accumulated in my hips like an elastic band that’s been wound up too many times and it needs to be released. (This is why I love stretching and am always trying to stretch into a deeper split. Something in my body feels like it can do it and it would benefit from it.)
My company did not have the funds to get me a fancy sit-stand desk, but I did get a tall pub table and tall stool. The table gets my laptop to eye level when I’m standing and it works great! This one request has saved me hundreds of hours of sitting. My body thanks me for it every work day.
What can you do to improve your physical work environment?
You could buy fresh flowers or a small potted plant. You could keep a very clean work surface and decorate your desk with beautiful things. When you put care and intention into our physical spaces, you also take back ownership of your mental space. You filter what you let in and to what degree.
Take breaks often.
The reality is being around computer screens and artificial lighting affects us. All of the invisible electromagnetic waves hit our system and interact with how our physical and energetic system operates. Have you ever walked into a room and noticed yourself gravitate towards the seat closest to the window? Maybe you deliberately scan and find the quietest corner in the room.
While we may not be able to control every aspect of the physical environment we work and live in, we can take breaks to give our system a chance to reset. At work, I am acutely aware when it's time for me to go out for a walk I got a breath of fresh air. I always go for a walk after lunch as I can feel that it helps the digestion and the air wakes me up.
Here’s a blog post where I share more ideas on how to take restful breaks.
Start tracking what replenishes your resources.
Make a point to do it every week or more often. I used to feel like I should see friends every weekend. Over time, I realized that it takes me a lot of energy to prepare myself to see friends and decompress after. I found that spending two to three hours on a weekend reading in solitude makes me happier and refreshed more consistently than seeing people.
Now I make a point to give myself space to be alone with a book every weekend. I also aim to do a face mask every weekend. Although it only takes a few minutes it's a form of self-care that becomes soul care.
I also realized that when I work out, whether it's going to the gym, to a yoga class or going out for a run, I prefer to do it alone. When I go it with family members, exercising doesn't replenish my energy as much because part of my mental focus goes to observing and tracking what my family member is doing. It was liberating to tell my family that I will no longer be going two workouts with them because I need to exercise by myself.
No one had a problem with it, which made me wish I had realized this sooner!
Develop personal parameters and make them conscious.
If you track what activities or situations drain your energy or give you energy, you can develop personal parameters for what works for you. You might already have a version of parameters in your head, just like the parameters that I created for myself in #5. The next step in the process of thriving as an introvert is to make these parameters conscious and active. They are no longer optional, subject to how you feel or who's asking you. You are learning to take exquisitely good care of yourself, knowing that this is how you will best serve the world and do your best work.
I have an ongoing note on my computer where I keep track of the parameters—what Robin Sharma calls Mastery Protocols—that I’ve developed over time. Whenever I discover something new about what works and what doesn't work, I make a conscious note and install this new awareness into my life practices.
The simple act of recording your parameters is powerful. It is like making a contract with yourself that you will honour who you are and do not override yourself to please others. It allows you to say no graciously when you receive an invite or an ask that doesn’t fit your parameters. This is how you develop trust in yourself, your abilities and over time, come to emit tangible confidence.
As you implement these strategies and nurture your introvert nature, you will become more productive and effective at work and happy in life. Learning to thrive as an introvert will be a lifelong adventure. I now think of my introverted nature as an advantage. It means I am acutely self-aware, and I use that awareness to produce the best work I possibly can.
You can too! Being an Introvert is a gift!
