An introvert is defined as ‘someone who prefers calm, minimally stimulating environments’ and ‘tends to feel drained after socialising, regaining their energy by spending time alone.’ Often, introverts appear shy and quiet, which is part of the reason they can sometimes struggle in the workplace.
The definition all started with Carl Jung back in the 1960's. He described two personality types that were direct opposites. Introverts and extroverts. Jung described the difference between these two types as the way they regained energy. Extroverts gained energy by spending time with others, while introverts regained their energy by spending time alone. At that time they were seen as separate personality types, but we now know there is a wide spectrum between being an introvert and an extrovert and we all fall between differing amounts. If you’re an introvert to any slight degree, then there will be times when you need some alone time just to recharge, this can be hard when you’re working in a busy, open-plan office. For most introvert types, home working over the pandemic would have seemed very easy and even therapeutic at times. You still had Zoom group chats but these would have seemed more manageable than the same office equivalent. With the move back to more office-based locations, we thought we would put this guide together to help with some simple strategies to get you through your day. Let's look at some physical things you can try first-
Work From Home
Let’s start with what we have just mentioned. Over the pandemic era, we have all been working from home, for introverts, it is one of the most ideal solutions. In an office full of extroverts working from home will sound like bliss to you. With remote working, technologies moving forward and new home working practices now set, maybe it's time to negotiate with your manager to work mostly work from home. You can tell your employer that you have better focus, and fewer distractions, leaving you feeling you have more time and energy to do a better job for them. Constantly producing great results from home will give greater weight to your suggestion.
The Early Bird
If you are back in the office why not start work earlier than the rest of your colleagues. If you start early you can finish early and that gives you some quieter time to get going with your tasks at hand, and less time in a busy environment. There is a lovely sense of peace and quiet at the office first thing in the morning. Just starting work one hour earlier can make all the difference, get in two hours earlier and you will find it's a game-changer. One of the big benefits is that it helps you mentally establish the rhythm of the day, when you eventually see more people arriving it eases you slowly into the working environment, as opposed to being plunged into a really noisy active office first thing. This is a little hack that can really help your day be a more pleasant experience. As with working from home, try talking to your manager explaining how you would like to trial early start and finishes, tell them you feel you can be more productive for them with this way of working.
Office Desk Position
As we discussed above, coming in early can give you a respite from the frantic nature of the office, another way is to search out a quieter spot to work within. Somewhere a bit out of the way and less exposed to the through traffic of colleagues. Again, this simple tweak can really help you throughout the day. Talk to your manager and explain that you feel you could get much more out of your day with fewer disturbances in a quieter environment. Even if there is no desk in the spot that you are looking at, suggest that moving your desk to this area will help you productively. If your job can be completed with a laptop why not ask to be able to move around the office, so you can seek out quiet areas when they become available. All these strategies can really make a difference to your general stress levels and give you a chance to mentally recharge throughout the day.
The above 3 ideas cover the physical things you can do to help with changing your working environment. But sometimes you are in a busy office with no escape and you just need to manage the situation the best you can. We have put together the next few strategies that can help with managing this situation for you.
Create Boundaries
If you’re an introvert, it can be easy for some people to invade your space or disrupt your working practices, making you feel uncomfortable. This may be no fault of the other person, if you do not set boundaries or work parameters they may never know your feelings. Generally, introverts tend to be introspective and empathetic, and setting boundaries can sometimes feel a bit awkward. But, everyone needs to set boundaries, these are things that tell other people how to treat you. Life suddenly becomes a lot easier when people know how to deal with you, they will feel better knowing that you feel more comfortable with them. It may feel easier to say nothing and to let the little things slide, but this can have a longer-term impact on your feelings. Communicate your boundaries clearly and explain why they mean a lot to you and how they help you. You will find people are perfectly happy to accommodate them as long as they are not vastly detrimental to the other person. Sometimes you will just overthink things and make something that is an easy-to-adjust issue for most people, a giant issue for you when it actually isn't at all. Just ask and inform people, you will feel a lot better about it all.
Individual Focus
As an introvert, you are unlikely to want to spend all of your time in a big, loud group, which can make it difficult to socialise and get to know people from work. When you come across as shy and reserved, it can also be easy to fall into the trap of not being involved and brushed over. Therefore, in order to overcome this, it’s vital that you focus on the importance of the individual and get to know your colleagues at a pace that feels comfortable to you. The easiest way to develop important relationships between you and your colleagues is to ask them what their job entails and make that extra effort to check in with them to learn about their personalities and interests. Although it may be nerve-wracking having to talk to employees one-on-one, it is easier than talking to a large group and also makes your relationships more meaningful. Understanding your colleagues on a deeper level also makes it easier for you to work with them in a professional environment. Although you may not want to attend birthday parties or social occasions, you will still have meaningful relationships with your colleagues.
Listen Well
A great characteristic of an introvert is that they are great listeners. You should therefore use this to your advantage. Make sure you are paying attention to what is said at all times as it gives you an edge over other people. When you are listening to someone, try and take part in ‘active listening,’ by supplying positive affirmation and looking at the person in the eye and nodding or responding when appropriate. This links into our previous point as it means you can form deeper relationships with individuals!
Understanding Yourself And Other People Better
Learning about the different personality types is a great way to improve working relationships, dig into the subject and read about the dynamics of different relationships with different personalities. There are lots of personality assessments that can build your own personal awareness and give you an understanding of your personality profile. Knowing about your personality type and that of your team will help you understand relationship dynamics. This information can give you strategies for coping better and improving your communication skills. You will be less likely to take things to heart and feel situations are out of control if you understand all this type of information. Integrate some of the relationship strategies and solutions that you can read about, this should mitigate the tension between working styles and lead to greater relationship confidence for you and your colleagues.
Do Things On Your Own Terms
Everybody at work will have something that they are unhappy with doing, and for introverts that may be public speaking. Some job roles will require that their employees work in groups and have to give presentations. In these situations, it’s absolutely vital that you contribute, but you can do this on your own terms. For example, you may not need to take part in the final presentation, but you can still pull your weight when it comes to research or leadership. Taking a more silent route is okay–as long as you make sure you put in the effort however you feel comfortable. Make sure you listen and organise the group, and then it will not matter that you don’t physically speak in front of the rest of the business. Remember, you don’t have to be in the spotlight to be vital to a team!
Be Sure To Go For Promotions
As an introvert, it is difficult to shy away from leadership opportunities. However, it’s important to remember that you may have the features of what makes a great leader, and you shouldn’t put yourself down and shy away from responsibility. Look at the job role, and if it’s something you feel like you could do, push for your voice to be heard, it may be nerve-wracking at first, but you deserve success as much as the next person! Remember, extroverts aren’t inherently better than introverts! Both personalities add huge values to different organisations. You should fight for your promotion as much as an extrovert would; you might just have to go down a different route. If you don’t feel ready to go straight into a promotion, speak to management and see how you can work towards it in the future, whether that’s by taking on more work or sitting in on more meetings.
Be Honest
In order to be successful, it’s important that you are honest. Make sure you communicate with management if you do have any problems, and don’t be afraid to blow your own trumpet a few times. If you are shy and reserved, management might not see what you do as clear as they may see an extrovert's activity. If you are completely transparent with management, they will appreciate you. Remember, it’s okay to say ‘no’ if you can’t do something, so stand up for yourself. Tell your manager what you do and don’t feel uncomfortable with, although some tasks may be mandatory, they will understand your issues and appreciate the fact you did them anyway! It’s also a great way for you to be remembered when a task needs doing that a manager knows you love. Everyone has a different personality, and with that comes different work styles. Every person has an equal chance of success!
Conclusion
Accept yourself for who you are and be honest with yourself and your colleagues about it. It is important to be open about who you really are. While it’s OK to adapt to your situation it is not ok to have to become a completely different person from who you are. Rather than feeling like you have to be a different person at work, look at the person you are and make the best of your strengths and values, showing what you can positively bring to the work environment in your own way. Ultimately, introverts can work very well in an office full of extroverts. When you pay attention to where your strengths lie and focus on bringing this out you will find you are as invaluable as the next person. Great companies are built with a diverse set of people. Be proud of the fact that you are adding value and use some of these tips, you will find life is not that bad after all.