I need to be alone sometimes. I’m not mad. I’m not upset. It’s just one way that I refuel and rejuvenate. Once an only-child, always an only-child. And I think when you’re a Gen X only-child, that somehow makes you even more independent and seeking some alone time. Every afternoon like a good Gen X latchkey kid I had a couple of hours after school to myself. Sometimes I went to a friend’s house or there was soccer practice, but those couple of hours with Happy Days, Scooby Doo and Brady Bunch were fabulous! Never mind the graham crackers and orange juice snack I made myself.

I often came home to a list that mom had made in the morning before she went to work, of things I needed to do after school. Mostly likely defrost protein and other prep work for dinner. Then there were my general chores: bring in the mail, walk the dog, etc. But the name of the game was to do all that as fast as possible, so I could chill out in front of our 13” portable black and white TV that I moved all over the house.

This is a long way of saying, alone time can be very rejuvenating. I’m heading down to my place in Pismo Beach, CA next week by myself for a week. (Thank you awesome life partner John for having that be ok for you and your life.) I know other CEOs who rent a local AirBnB for a day or two just to hole-up and have quiet time in a different environment to think about, ponder and work on the future of their company.

There’s a lot less to think about and coordinate when it’s just you. That means more brain power can go to other areas of life that need your attention, creativity and focus. I encourage you to give it a try!