Life skills for introverts. How can I improve my quality of life?

The intricacies of our personality affect how we process our emotions, how we act based on those emotions, how we think and behave, and ultimately how our life turns out. 

Reviews of scientific studies on personalities consistently show that being agreeable makes a person less prone to negative mood, deal with sadness better, and have more chances of evaluating life situations in a positive way. Meanwhile, being conscientious, or the trait of wishing to do your work well, was associated with good health, economic, social and work outcomes.

Research on extraversion and introversion 

Some research support that being agreeable is more associated with extraversion, and that these two traits lead to satisfaction with relationships with loved ones, friends, family, and acquaintances.

On the other hand, introverts are thought to be better at solving challenging problems and using awareness and their conscientiousness to understand and improve direction of one’s actions. 

However, society tends to be more welcoming of extraversion. They get people’ attention because of their energy and talkativeness, and they are the first ones to be hired on the job based on their being agreeable. 

Life skills for introverts

Still, being an introvert is not necessarily a disadvantage. Introverts also bring a lot of good points to any relationship, careers, and industries. 

• Navigate your way through connections and relationships by learning how to schedule. 

Many introverts say that they enjoy social interaction, but it takes away energy from them at the end of the day. Introverts recharge by taking time to “recharge” through alone time. However, this does not have to stop an introvert from making high quality connections and relationships! 

For example, meeting a lot of different people in one day is a challenge, so learning how to schedule your appointments will be a life changing skill! When you have important meetings to attend, put enough space in between meetings to give yourself time to recharge. Your energy is a resource that you need to learn to manage. Making your schedule accommodating, yet realistic for your needs will help you build better relationships. 

• Develop your own leadership style that plays by your strengths. 

One myth about leadership is that only extroverts can be successful leaders and company heads. But research has shown that introverts are also effective in leading a group of people. One research found that introverts are able to bring out the best in a team composed of proactive people. An introvert leader’s skill in active listening and lower need to dominate relationships allow them to make their team feel heard and valued. This increases the team’s ownership and responsibility towards their company goals. Introverts are also able to listen to and consider their team’s opinions. 

• Learn the art of public speaking. 

Introverts and public speaking? We would assume they are not a match made in heaven. But time and time again, introverts have proven themselves capable of charismatic and effective communication on stage. One introvert skill that allows them to do this is their ability to prepare very well for their speech. They research the topic and rehearse their delivery so much that they develop good speaking skills. This is part of introverts’ desire to do their best in their task. They are generally conscientious. Develop this skill through repetition and practice, and it will catapult your work and personal endeavors to success. 

So if you think these skills are worth developing, try assessing yourself first and check your strengths and weaknesses as an introvert. What other skills do you believe can help you thrive in your personal and professional life? How can you develop them further? 

Being an introvert is not a bad thing, and it does not mean that you have to work alone. It just means using your energy and strengths to do your best in different situations. Find the right balance and build the right habits that work best for you. You too can have thriving relationships and a fulfilling career! 

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