Introvert: a person whose personality is characterized by introversion; a typically reserved or quiet person who tends to be introspective and enjoys spending time alone

I am an Introvert and proud to be one. As an introvert working in organizations which require you to speak your mind, engage with your colleagues, attend meetings and further handle clients can get exhausting. I have been a part of such a company in past and I was straight up told to be more interactive! I know it’s a part and parcel of the work but it can definitely take a toll on us introverts. We are misunderstood by our extrovert seniors and can become a victim of the workplace politics. My weekends were not enough for me to recharge either, I would be so exhausted mentally and my social battery was so low that I would not want to even socialize with my friends.

I have heard innumerable struggles of work from home from my friends, however remote work came as a savior for us introverts. Working from the comfort of my home has helped me become more productive. I do not have to take breaks when my colleagues wanted to anymore, I don’t need to make small talk with people from other departments, nor am I put on spot during informal meetings and stand ups. I remember wondering during many such meetings about how this one could have been an email or a slack message. I can complete my work for the day at own pace and time and have the rest of the day to recharge and rejuvenate.

Introverts might like the solitude of working remotely, but that doesn’t necessarily mean remote work is without its disadvantages for introverts. For some introverts who live alone and don’t have a large social network, the office was one of the few places where I could get necessary social interaction, even if it was mostly work related. For new employees, WFH is going to make it tougher to perform all the responsibilities but I suppose that comes down to a good well thought out coordinated training plan from the company. Being surrounded by family members, noisy neighbours, or even pets can cause concentration issues. If a home office space is limited or lacks a sense of privacy, it can take a toll on introverts’ wellness and balance. While introverts treasure alone time, human beings are still social beings—too much isolation can be ruinous to anyone. And remote work can prevent introverts from participating in any kind of meaningful social interactions, even measured ones.

Conclusion: WFH can have both extremes, but it is a manager’s duty to ensure that both ends of the personality spectrum are meeting on a common ground. After the pandemic, a good suggestion would be starting flexible plans for employees where they can work at office for a few days and the rest remotely. Alternately, employers and managers can support introverted employees by enabling flexible work schedules so they can work in places or during times with fewer distractions. I know this is not possible in all organizations, but just as we have learnt to work remotely in the past two years, we can implement such techniques as well.

Aishwarya Says:

I have always been against Glorifying Over Work and therefore, in the year 2021, I have decided to launch this campaign “Balancing Life”and talk about this wrong practice, that we have been following since last few years. I will be talking to and interviewing around 1 lakh people in the coming 2021 and publish their interview regarding their opinion on glamourising Over Work.

If you are interested in participating in the same, do let me know.

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