Personal space

[oddoneout]

I could go for an infinite amount of time alone.

 

[yssie]

A week. Easily. I enjoy my solitary ruminations.

 

[soocool]

I have had this entire weekend to myself and while I got a little bored yesterday (believe me it did not last long), I haven't felt so relaxed in a long time. DH went away for a business trip on Friday for a week and DD went to a friend's shore house (she'll be back tomorrow evening). So it was just me and the dog and he was contect sleeping most of the time.

Right now I am watching Tootsie (1982) on tv with a belgian waffle I made yesterday with whipped cream and berries and a glass of white zinfandel.

So I guess 3 days every 20 or so years is good for me!

 

[Luckyeshe]

Absolutely no interaction with anyone else, I could probably last 3 maybe 4 days max. I would miss my dogs and interacting with my neighbors and friends. My FI and I are still long distance so if I didn't hear from him within 36 hours I would worry. The answer may be different once we're living under the same roof.

 

[4ever]

I can be alone and content for a long period of time, I have just spent 6 months being unemployed so I have been spending most of my time by myself.

However, I am really sick of spending so much time alone with nothing to really keep me occupied so if I could choose to have any more time alone I would take 1/2 a day at most to just hang out and read or somthing, or more if I had some thing fun to do.

I'm starting a new job on Wednesday and will be off work one day a week that BF is working, and he will be off on Saturdays while I'm working so we each will get some alone time. I think that it will be nice, BF is not so keen.

 

[JSM]

I'm an extreme introvert so I love being alone.

I once heard extroverts get their batteries charged by being with people, and drained by being alone while introverts get their batteries charged by being alone and drained by being with people.

The latter is very very true for me.

Oddly "socializing" by "being" with people on the forum does not drain me.

YES and YES! I love being by myself and just ruminating. It IS refreshing. When introverts are in groups, it feels (at least to me) like I have to be 'on' at all times, and it is definitely emotionally draining.

I used to _really_ have to force myself to socialize, especially after a long day at work dealing with coworkers. For the moment, I work alone and isolated 90% of the time, and not only am I more productive, but I find that I can more easily interact with others during my off hours. I plan to ENJOY my last two months of this, because my lab is moving and we will be hiring someone at about the same time. I worry for my sanity!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I LOVE alone time. I could do a week easy.

 

[Porridge]

I can do maybe a day by myself before I start to crave interaction. I do enjoy traveling by myself, I enjoy the time to read etc. I enjoy my alone time. But I generally prefer being around people.

 

[MissMina]

I spend at least 90% of my time alone. That's about right for me.
I am retired and my health keeps me from doing very much.
I live with my son but we bought a house with several living areas so we both have our space.
We usually do something together about once a week.
I am very much an introvert.
I love my few close friends but
Socializing wears me out
In the past I left two forums because they depressed and drained me.
I like the youthful energy here

 

[MichelleCarmen]

As a child, I grew up spending many hours alone so I'm use to it. I could go a week without human interaction as long as I did have a bit of phone and internet time to communicate.

People do drain me and I need recharging time. . .it's difficult during the summer when I'm around my kids 24/7 as they do need a lot of care. My dh is gone for the summer, too, so I am having to spend even additional hours where I normally would get a break talking about kid-related subjects!

 

[CJ2008]

CJ: You guessed right! I am a classic introvert and am drained by people. I need time alone. But I need very little time away from my husband. I classify alone time as time with him & the pets! Regrettably DH has a job that takes him away for more than 1/4 of the year including nights. So I'm alone quite often and very usually on special occasions; birthdays & holidays. Consequently I'm alone from him more than I would ever like. He is gone at the moment - hence I have so much time to post on PS! I miss him...

That's tough - I would hate if DH had to be away that much.

The question I keep asking myself is - if all we introverts knew each other IRL, would we all get along?

I wish I had known more people like me growing up - I realize now that I was surrounded by extroverts who just had one social engagement, party, get-together - you name it - after another - it was exhausting to be invited to all those things. And more exhausting to have to say no half the time because of course nobody understood it was nothing personal (and of course I didn't help it because I myself didn't really understand it - I just felt like an oddball )

 

[RhubarbPie]

I'm kind of antisocial and don't have much desire to spend large amounts of time with friends going out. I don't mind hanging out with one or two people at once, but I've never been a bar/partying type. FF is the same way.

However, I hate hate hate hate hate to be without my FF. He has been away since June 5 (returning this Friday, thank goodness!!) and these past 7 weeks have been truly horrible. Really terrible. So when I say alone time, I mean with my SO (and our kitties, of course). We are never apart. And people know that when they invite me somewhere, if my FF can't come, then I probably won't come also. I know couples that are the opposite and truly want to be alone (without one another) or go out separately with friends, but we just want to be together, alone

 

[diva rose]

Depends on who the person is. My friends - months/years and I'll be fine.

My DH - only one day. We don't need to spend the whole day together but we need to see each other every day.
DH is an introvert - he can go months/years not seeing anyone. However he has to see me every day.

My sister - Maybe a week max. I'll need to talk to her or email her frequently during the week though.

My parents - a few weeks.

My inlaws..a few years would be nice - the longer the better. Puahaha

 

[jaysonsmom]

I like being with people all the time, but I don't necessarily have to be interacting the whole time. I like having my husband or kids around me 24/7, and we don't necessary have to be doing the same thing, for eg, I could be folding laundry whle they watch TV next to me, or we are all reading in the same room, but all reading different books.

 

[Indylady]

Can I be on PS on my time "alone"? Or otherwise text or make phone calls?

I can easily be alone all day long, but I would prefer it if I had PS or a phone to use in case I wanted to. Utter solitude? I don't know.

 

[Haven]

I love being alone, and I typically relish my alone time. I bet a week all to myself would be wonderful.

I often joke that the reason I love DH so much is that he's the only person I know that doesn't annoy me after spending more than a couple hours together. Really, though, it's true that he's the only person who doesn't annoy me after a while. I'm an introvert, as I definitely recharge by being alone, and DH is the only person who doesn't drain me.

I hate talking on the phone and would happily go years without one.

 

[HollyS]

Social obligations, plans with friends, family stuff - - I don't feel a real need to load my calendar with too much of that. So I'm fine NOT doing stuff as opposed to being the social butterfly.

Alone alone - - without the hubs - - I don't want too much time by myself. I would get lonely.

There are times though, when you just want to come home and sit on the couch and stare at the TV (or the wall), or go to bed with a book, or pull the covers over your head - - and you don't. That's when you want 'alone time' and there's no real way to get it without the twenty questions: "Do you feel okay? Is there anything I can get you? Did you have a bad day? Do you want something to eat?"

But on the average, I prefer a small social life, and a hubby who's usually hanging around.

 

[lilyfoot]

I love being alone, and I typically relish my alone time. I bet a week all to myself would be wonderful.

I often joke that the reason I love DH so much is that he's the only person I know that doesn't annoy me after spending more than a couple hours together. Really, though, it's true that he's the only person who doesn't annoy me after a while. I'm an introvert, as I definitely recharge by being alone, and DH is the only person who doesn't drain me.

I hate talking on the phone and would happily go years without one.

Ditto!

 

[CJ2008]

I love being alone, and I typically relish my alone time. I bet a week all to myself would be wonderful.

I often joke that the reason I love DH so much is that he's the only person I know that doesn't annoy me after spending more than a couple hours together. Really, though, it's true that he's the only person who doesn't annoy me after a while. I'm an introvert, as I definitely recharge by being alone, and DH is the only person who doesn't drain me.

I hate talking on the phone and would happily go years without one.

Ditto!

Thritto! ETA: ESPECIALLY to the phone part

 

[radiantquest]

I couldnt go one day by myself. I get bored. I know that sounds silly, but I do. When DH was away working I would come home, clean up and then go to bed and read because I was bored. Most nights I went to bed around 8 when work didnt keep me late. I also am afraid to be alone at night. I would never survive living alone. Most times when DH is home we arent doing things together, but I like knowing he is here. I can be here on PS and he on his computer, on his forum in another room and that is great. When I am off during the week I like him to be gone while I do my chores, but as soon as I am done I am ready for him to be home.

Now, although I like to be around other people I do have issues with my personal space. I am a touch-me-not. DH is really the only person that can touch me and I dont cringe. Hugs from friends and family members are fine, but no other touching. Dont touch my shoulder or my arm or anything like that. It isnt a germ thing, I just like to be around people, not touched by them.