As an introvert entrepreneur, group trips, business retreats and weekends with family can be a challenge for me. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, but it's usually for a limited amount of time. I'm usually done after a couple of hours.
Usually I share a lot of business tips but today I thought. lets put the introvert entrepreneur on the side line and show you how I deal with group trips, which is also applicable to business retreats of course ;)
When I saw that I had a family vacation and a group trip with friends planned, I was a bit apprehensive. How was I going to make sure that I enjoyed myself and didn't become overwhelmed? Usually, I go on these kinds of weekends to please other people, I am not really going for myself.
It all starts with packing your stuff. I made sure to pack noise-canceling headphones, my journal, and my e-reader so that I can have some quiet time to myself. Take the things that'll help you to check in and be with yourself.
Last year, during a family weekend, I was so overaroused that I almost lost it. I realized that I needed a quiet place to retreat to in order to enjoy myself. So, before this year's family weekend, I sat down with my family and had an honest conversation about my needs. I requested a separate house to sleep in, and they were kind enough to oblige. Having a designated quiet space made all the difference, and I was able to enjoy the weekend much more. Consider your sleep arrangements: if possible take the most quiet bedroom available, or get yourself a different apartment, room etc depending on the location.
During the family vacation and group trip with friends, I find it helpful to have a designated task to focus on. I'm happy to cook breakfast or dinner, especially when I don't necessarily want to dive into conversation. This way, I can still be around other people while having some time to myself. What can you do to feel really good, while you are around other people? Fix that for yourself, if that is cooking, great! If that is doing the dishes, awesome!
I think it's important for introverts to take time for themselves, especially when they're away with a lot of people. During the family vacation, I made sure to take some quiet time to read my book and decompress. It made all the difference in my ability to enjoy the trip.
Being an introvert doesn't mean that you can't enjoy group trips or be a successful entrepreneur. It just means that you need to take care of yourself and make sure you have the space you need to thrive. By communicating your needs and taking time for yourself, you can have a great time on group trips and be a successful introvert entrepreneur.
Do you easily get overwhelmed? Make sure to download this eBook "How to get rid of overwhelm in 4 steps"
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