Living alone has its ups and downs. Yes, you have all that freedom, but boo all those responsibilities, too. You will experience a lot of adulting moments that will make you wonder how your parents were able to pull it off while taking care of children. Despite the challenges, there are benefits to spending time alone, especially for one’s mental health. Psychology Today lists down some of these psychological boons, such as having the time for self-introspection, promoting confidence in one’s abilities, and escaping from social pressure to deliver and fulfil a particular role.
Figuring out how to navigate this new adventure can feel overwhelming. You already had to get through many prerequisites before even stepping one foot inside your flat. It will feel like another battle to conquer once you start living your independent life. To help ease the transition from being surrounded by people 24/7 to being by yourself, you can follow these tips and start living your best life.
Buy groceries online
Sometimes life happens, and you don’t have the time to drop by the grocery store and replenish supplies. Thank the universe for online shopping as it has made it possible to buy haircare products, fill up the pantry with food and have stocks of toilet papers with just a few taps on your phone. You don’t have to contend with skipping hair conditioner, opening canned goods and using creative means for wiping in the bathroom just because you forgot you were running out of necessities. Sometimes, online stores have more variety to their inventory than your local store, which is great if you’re high-maintenance, and only certain brands can pass your standards.
Install added security measures
As you only have one pair of eyes and hands to fight them off, some untoward people might see you as an easy target. Getting an extra lock and installing a door alarm can give you peace of mind for your security. Have a bat and pepper spray at hand in case you do need to defend yourself. If possible, you can even put security as a priority when you’re flat-hunting by looking for places with gated complexes, deadbolt locks and CCTVs.
Schedule chores and bills payments
Time blurs when there’s no one reminding you that you need to clean, take out the trash and pay your bills. You have to create a personal system of keeping track of chores and other responsibilities. Have a calendar in the living room or the kitchen and mark the days when you need to do errands around the house. You can even set the alarm on your phone that will serve as an external reminder that the bathroom needs to be disinfected. If you’re lazy, you can schedule a cleaning service once a month and allow service providers to charge your credit card with the bill automatically.
Be kind to yourself
It’s going to be a long and challenging road. You need to give yourself a break if you find yourself slipping once in a while. Living alone can reveal a lot of things about yourself — preferences, coping mechanisms and discipline or lack thereof. Take it as a work in progress where you’re learning new skills and becoming a better person.
You’ll never go back to living in a crowded house once you get the hang of being by yourself. In the meantime, there’s no harm in being in trial and error mode before you find the right balance.
