Why
being
a
loner
might
be
healthy
Socializing
is
a
skill
that
we
are
urged
to
develop
from
an
early
age
,
but
emerging
research
suggests
that
being
a
loner
can
only
yield
unexpected
benefits
.
It's
an
emotive
word
,
isn't
it
?
loner
?
It
may
imply
that
somehow
you
have
failed
according
to
some
.
Particularly
when
you
are
young
,
if
you
are
not
surrounded
all
the
time
by
your
peers
,
then
people
are
quick
to
brand
you
as
a
'loner'
.
I'll
admit
it
,
I
can
be
a
socializer
.
It's
not
that
I
don't
like
the
company
of
others
,
it's
just
that
others
can
be
.
.
.
well
.
.
.
boring
!
Ever
since
childhood
,
I've
never
had
a
problem
with
amusing
myself
or
with
silence
.
Perhaps
it
has
something
to
do
with
having
a
brother
that
is
ten
years
older
and
growing
up
in
a
wet
climate
,
so
the
opportunities
for
outdoor
play
were
limited
.
Whatever
the
cause
,
the
fact
is
that
after
a
few
hours
of
socializing
,
I
start
longing
for
the
event
to
finish
or
look
for
a
fighting
chance
to
sneak
off
home
unobserved
.
Until
recently
,
I
regarded
this
as
a
misfortune
,
something
I
needed
to
avoid
?
a
fact
borne
out
by
research
that
shows
the
harm
of
social
isolation
.
In
the
UK
,
the
respected
Royal
College
of
General
Practitioners
,
for
example
,
has
suggested
that
loneliness
carries
a
risk
of
premature
death
equivalent
to
that
of
diabetes
.
I
am
not
equating
my
to
that
of
people
suffering
from
extreme
loneliness
and
for
those
of
us
that
enjoy
plenty
of
'me'
time
,
there
is
now
some
good
news
.
According
to
a
new
study
,
there
are
benefits
?
both
for
our
emotional
wellbeing
and
,
surprisingly
perhaps
,
for
our
work
lives
?
of
being
a
reclusive
.
If
you
always
felt
like
a
square
peg
in
a
round
hole
,
there
is
indeed
hope
.
The
main
benefit
might
appear
rather
obvious
:
an
increase
in
creativity
.
Anyone
working
in
an
open
office
while
trying
to
solve
a
problem
creatively
can
probably
relate
to
this
.
Gregory
Feist
,
a
psychologist
at
San
Jose
State
University
,
conducted
research
on
both
artists
and
scientists
and
found
that
one
of
the
most
prominent
features
of
both
groups
was
low
interest
in
socializing
.
It
is
clear
that
is
the
best
environment
for
reflection
and
observation
.
This
view
was
supported
by
research
conducted
at
the
University
of
Buffalo
where
it
was
shown
that
unsociability
had
a
clear
correlation
with
creativity
and
that
it
could
even
be
beneficial
.
Looking
at
this
in
more
depth
,
we
can
begin
to
understand
why
it
might
be
beneficial
.
When
another
person
is
present
,
you
cannot
help
but
pay
some
attention
.
The
absence
of
such
distractions
allows
one's
mind
to
wander
,
which
is
now
thought
to
activate
the
brain's
default
-
mode
network
.
This
network
helps
to
understand
others
and
to
memory
.
So
,
next
time
you
need
to
commit
something
to
memory
,
like
a
language
lesson
for
example
,
it
is
best
to
seek
out
a
quiet
spot
and
let
your
mind
wander
.
The
conclusion
appears
to
be
that
if
your
personality
towards
unsociability
,
there
is
no
need
to
beat
yourself
up
about
it
.
As
with
many
things
in
life
,
it
is
about
finding
the
right
balance
for
you
.
Of
course
,
cutting
yourself
off
entirely
from
other
people
is
not
going
to
be
good
for
your
wellbeing
.
On
the
other
hand
,
choosing
solitude
when
you
want
it
,
rather
than
being
forced
into
social
contact
is
likely
to
be
good
not
only
for
your
wellbeing
,
but
also
for
your
productivity
.
Let's
check
what
you
remember
!
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