After a long day of use, most people leave their phone on the charger overnight so that it will be ready for a full day of use in the morning. For most people, putting their phone on the charger is a step in their night time routine that is rarely, if ever, skipped. In the same way that one prioritizes making sure their phone charges overnight, it is important to do the same for one’s social battery so that it can function properly when called upon.
As a natural introvert, charging my social battery has been something I have needed to do my entire life, even since before I realized what a social battery was. When my social battery was full, I was able to go out with my friends in hectic social situations without much consideration. As my battery began to die, I became more withdrawn from conversation and less willing to take social risks. Just as your phone screen becomes dimmer and your apps load slower, I began to shut down.
Like your phone, the goal is to keep your social battery charged without letting it die. For me, death of my social battery can mean bouts of anxiety, isolation, and self consciousness. Therefore, it is important to recognize when your social battery is dying and take time to recharge it before your body picks the time for you. As promised, here are some of my tips and favorite ways I charge my social battery as a busy college student.
- Stay off of Social Media
Taking time off of social media is good practice to begin with, but it is even more important when trying to charge your social battery. Scrolling through social media and seeing everything your friends are doing with their friends can induce feelings of guilt (or FOMO) for taking time to recharge. It can also make you feel insecure about your social abilities just because you are taking time for yourself. If you do go on social media, it is important to keep in mind that people are probably doing these insta-worthy activities at a time where their social battery is fully charged. Therefore, their situation is not comparable to yours. Everybody’s batteries charge at different rates and are the fullest at different times.
- Exercise
One of my favorite things to do to recharge is exercise. If you think about it, the sole purpose of exercise is to improve yourself, and only yourself, both physically and mentally. I love putting in headphones and getting lost in a workout while focusing on my own physical abilities.
- Clean or Organize your Space
Whenever my life feels out of control, as it often does when my social battery is near death, cleaning and organizing my spaces helps me regain control and keep my mind focused. Whether it be folding laundry, wiping down your desk or end table, organizing a random drawer, or vacuuming. Cleaning is a very independent activity that is not only soothing, but that has tangible benefits. Bonus points if you clean while listening to your favorite show or podcast in the background.
- Plan
Along similar lines, planning helps me regain control and establish a purpose for my actions. I plan the homework I have to do, meetings I must attend, and any other events for the month, week, or day. Although you can’t plan for everything, planning social events or times that you think will be the best for you to hang out with your friends can help determine when your battery will need to be charged. Looking ahead in your calendar and seeing a large social event can also prevent you from using up all of your battery beforehand.
- REST
The 5th and most important step to recharging your social battery is to actually charge it by resting properly. If you budget time to charge your social battery but decide to push yourself to go out instead or complete some stressful project, your time will be wasted in addition to having a worse experience than you otherwise would have had if your social battery was properly charged. One of the best ways to rest is to meditate as it allows your brain to totally relax.
Whatever your preferred method may be, it is important to commit to recharging your social battery when it starts to get low. For a while I would push myself to be in social situations when my social battery was screaming for help. I thought that if I didn’t go it meant that I was socially incapable. In fact, the opposite is true. Some of the most social people I know are social because they have mastered charging their battery. They do it at just the right times for just the right amount of time to make the most out of their social interactions. In this busy time of our lives, it is clear that sometimes the most productive thing to do is actually just to take a break. And you shouldn’t feel guilty for it.