Spending time by yourself sounds like an easy activity. It might even be an easy activity for some people. And if it’s easy for you then that’s great, but this article isn’t for you. But if you’re finding that the time you spend alone is often wasted on tiktok and scrolling through social media posts that don’t help bring you towards a better version of yourself then this is for you.

The first step in making sure that your alone time means something is getting rid of simple distractions. So put your phone on do not disturb or silence notifications that could cause you to interrupt the quality time you’re spending with yourself. Close your laptop so you’re not tempted to binge watch that netflix series you’ve been trying to catch up on. And remember this is time that you’re spending with yourself so you have to make it count. 

The second step is to prioritize and value this time. Most people whenever they finally get that moment to themselves they start planning out what they still need to get done once their alone time is over. This is the easiest way to not only waste your valuable personal time but also disrespect yourself. You wouldn’t plan out your outfits for school while you’re in the middle of a busy shift at work, because that’s disrespectful to your boss while you’re on their time. Love yourself enough to extend that same courtesy and not focus on things like when you have to work again while you’re alone.

The final step in making the most of your alone time is doing something productive with it. Taking time for yourself is important but using it wisely matters even more. So in your alone time if you find yourself bored and waiting for the minutes to pass, try something new. Or something old. Or something familiar. You can paint, read, go outside, do a puzzle, take a bath or anything else you put your mind to.

The most important part of spending alone time is building a bond with yourself. It’s about getting back that same carefree, unfiltered happy version of you. Because at the end of the day there’s no better relationship than the one you create with yourself.