Don’t Be Afraid to Do Things Alone, You Will Have Just As Much Fun.
When you see someone alone in the movies, you may feel sorry for them. Don’t – most likely, they are having fun in the same way as in the company.
New research, to be published in the Journal of Consumer Research, suggests that people underestimate how much they enjoy doing things on their own. The researchers tested subjects by sending them to an art gallery and evaluating how much they enjoyed being alone versus being in someone else’s company. Marketing professors Rebecca Ratner and Rebecca Hamilton told the Washington Post:
They found that people expected to enjoy the gallery less when they were alone, but in reality they tended to have just as good time, whether they had company or not … “When you are comparing experiences that are very similar with or without someone else, like going to a gallery or going to the movies, you won’t find much difference in pleasure, ”Hamilton said. “Going to a restaurant may be a little different because there is an element of conversation here, but that doesn’t rule out the reality that going to a restaurant alone is still a pleasure. The real question is not whether we will have more fun with our friends or not. It’s about those times when we don’t have anyone to watch a new movie or eat in a newly opened restaurant, and we are uncomfortable walking alone, even if we are probably having a good time. ” you give up a lot of pleasure, ”Ratner said. “We all.”
Of course, sometimes it’s fun to be with other people. But we can underestimate how much we can enjoy certain activities without any company. For example, we talked about the benefits of traveling alone . But aside from travel, it can also be fun – watching a movie alone, enjoying dinner alone, or even just relaxing alone.
People may shy away from this because they are shy too. But Ratner brings up an interesting point that we mentioned earlier: nobody cares, so do what you want . Of course, at certain times in your life, being alone can be more difficult – for example, when you’re going through a breakup. But generally speaking, doing something alone may not be so bad. In fact, it might not be bad at all.
Their opinions on how to spend time alone are interesting, so be sure to read the entire post.
Why You Should Really Do More Alone | Washington Post