In a society that caters to extroverts, it’s up to us introverts to cultivate rituals in our lives that protect our spirits.
If you are one introvertyou probably know all too well the drain of everyday life. Meetings at work feel like they drain the functionality out of you; the very thought makes me tired. Your children, as wonderful as they are, get on your last nerve faster than anyone and jump on them without hesitation like a bouncy house at a birthday party. (Speaking of energy draining – kids are birthday parties the worstAm I right?) Even the 30 seconds chat Making it with the cashier when you make a last minute stop to buy groceries on the way home can feel like you’re draining all of your remaining energy.
As an introvert, one of the best things we can do for ourselves is to find ways to protect and increase our energy. We live in a society that caters to extroverts, so it’s up to us to create routines and rituals in our lives that act as a barrier to protect our spirits. I mean, even Wonder Woman has a shield, right?
Be able to spot “energy vampires”
An important aspect of learning to protect our energy reserves is to identify the things or people that drain us. Sarah DiGiulio at NBC News did a great job interview Judith Orloff, MD, who says, “An energy vampire someone who literally drains your energy.” If we’re being honest with ourselves, it probably doesn’t take much to identify who these people in our lives are — whether it’s the over-chatty co-worker or your friend who’s always in crisis and needs to spill their latest drama on you in a 3 a.m. phone call.
Energy vampires aren’t always human either. They can appear in the form of activities and things on our to-do list. Anything that requires more energy than it gives, things that have very little return on investment can be energy vampires. Note how you feel after doing certain things throughout the day—or even how you react when certain items appear on your agenda. If seeing a “FedEx Package Drop” reminder pop-up in Google Calendar sends you into a complete panic, pay attention to it and maybe investigate why it’s triggering this type of response. (Maybe the overly judgmental receptionist, Cindy, who always gives you dirty looks when you bring in more than two boxes at once.)
The secret to maintaining energy as an introvert
You’ve identified the people and things that are draining the joyous, quiet book-reading life out of you—and you’re ready to cut them out of your life for good. The only problem is that you can’t exactly cut your boss, your mother-in-law, and your third child out of your life. So what do you do instead? I’m glad you asked!
Cultivating daily rituals the secret sauce to defense against energy drain(s) and finally your best introverted life. The idea is to find things that really energize you and restore those reserves—and then find ways to incorporate them into your life every day. Not all introverts are the same (duh), so what works for me may not work for you, and vice versa. Below are five daily rituals that most introverts find effective. Try them out and see what works for you – and tweak them as needed!
5 Daily Rituals Introverts need to protect their energy
1. Sign in with yourself.
The most important thing we can do for ourselves is to know what our “zero point” is, so to speak. Basically, you need to know where you are in order to determine what you need to get where you want to go. Create a habit assessment of your energy level all day. Then you will be able to respond accordingly to feel better.
For example, I try to check in a few times a day – usually in the morning, in the afternoon, and maybe once or twice before bed. It’s just five minutes or less to take a deep breath and consider how I’m feeling, my energy level, etc. Maybe I’m anxious and need to take a walk to burn it off. Or maybe I feel sluggish and realize I haven’t had any water since I woke up.
Your daily check-in doesn’t have to take long—just enough time to identify how you’re feeling and what you need in that moment to feel better, more energized, and get on with your day.
Bonus tip: Try keeping a journal from daily logins. This can give you great insight into common times when you feel bad and what activities have helped you feel better.
Do you ever struggle to know what to say?
Someone asks, “Why are you so quiet?” A co-worker corners me when you are exhausted. A friend strives to plan you don’t have the energy for it.
Later he thinks I wish I had said something.
I’ve been there too. That’s why I created it Confident introverted scripts.
That’s over 150 ready-to-use phrases time spent alone, protection of boundaries, energies, social life, etc. The guide is provided by feedback from therapists and introverted colleagues to make sure it really helps when your mind goes blank.
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2. Get moving – take a walk, stretch, or have a private dance party.
Movement helps out of your overthinking head and into your body – it also gives you energy. You don’t need to join an expensive gym or sign up for the latest Summer Bod Boot Camp. (Grass! Dramatic waves stretch across the forehead in relief.) Remember, these are simple daily rituals designed to protect and growth your energy, not beaten into submission. Think morning walks around the block, a midday stretch, or an after-work dance party in your car (onlookers be damned!).
We introverts spend a lot of energy inside our own minds. Don’t let yourself become an energy vampire! Get into the habit of regular exercise that allows you to shake yourself off and come back refreshed.
3. Leave moments of aloneness (even in five-minute increments).
And all the introverts shouted a collective “Amen”! thinking of being alone! While this may seem too obvious to make this list, unfortunately most of us neglect to make it a part of our list. daily live We will postpone it until the weekend (or another day if we have more time). But I probably don’t need to remind you how important it is to an introvert’s well-being to get some air on a regular basis – especially if you live with a partner/roommate/family member/s and/or have kids!
One way to do this is to adjust your expectations. We can’t all spend three hours without interruption quiet time every day (swoon!), but we can squeeze it in here and there. The key is to be intentional about looking for opportunities and learning to use them well.
Think about it: the five minutes at your desk before the coworkers arrive, the moment both kids shovel bites into their mouths and you know it’s about two and a half minutes until they’ll ask for more, the 10 minutes it takes the barista to hand-make your husband’s extra hot, skinny triple caramel macchiato, is another 15 minutes to go back to the house. thing” before finally being ready to go.
Watch out for these moments of downtime and squeeze every life-giving, energizing, deep-breathing ounce you can out of them. Even you pondersstep outside for a few minutes or just sit quietly, it might not seem like much, but these little energy boosts all add up throughout the day.
4. Talk to someone, whether it’s texting a friend or a relative.
No, no referring to therapy here (although it’s not a bad idea – and if you think it will help, by all means give it a try)… but we don’t mean small talk with the barber either. It’s about starting a meaningful conversation—with a significant other, friend, or family member (preferably someone who doesn’t qualify as an energy vampire). We spend a lot of energy on small talk during the day, which is already exhausting for introverts. But a deep meaningful relationship with another human being—who is willing to hold that space for us—can actually be very energizing.
Try chatting with your partner after work, calling a family member on your commute, or even texting a friend. You know that person who just makes you feel so good after spending time with them? Whether it’s a quick check-in or a two-hour chat over a martini, you always leave with a smile on your face and more energy than before you saw them. Be conscious of connecting with someone every day. (Though two hours a day of martinis might be a bit much, so maybe working on bordersalso. Just an extra pro tip.)
5. Get creative – cook, color or write to boost your energy and mood.
Research it shows creativity it can improve your mood and even improve your overall well-being. It’s also a healthy way to process life (or just a tough day). Don’t worry: you don’t have to be the next Picasso or list your arts and crafts on Etsy. In fact, the lower the pressure at which you perform the creative activity, the better.
If you are an introverted parentget out the crayons and color with your kids – or get yourself an adult coloring book. Maybe you like to cook, write, or make things with your own hands. whatever it is give yourself creative space and allow yourself at least a little freedom and time every day. (I can see you scribbling in your notebook at the back of the finance meeting – that counts!)
Plan ahead and hold your sacred ceremonies
A large part of successfully cultivating daily rituals is to plan ahead and take it seriously. Be intentional about which rituals you want to incorporate into your day and consider when you want to fit them into your schedule. Tip: Add them to your calendar if possible.
Take some time the night before to mentally prepare for the day ahead and imagine using these rituals and feeling more energized throughout the day. Try to integrate one ritual at a time as much as you can, add more and experiment with what works best for you.
Remember, it’s all about protecting and enhancing your energy, so tailor it to your lifestyle and circumstances, and always be willing to adapt as you go. 
Introverts, what would you add to this list? Feel free to share in the comments below!
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