Human Batteries – How best to care for them: Extroverts/Introverts we are all struggling

Human Batteries – How best to care for them: Extroverts/Introverts we are all struggling

I wanted to share some random thoughts I have been having lately as I have been observing my own needs, what I am seeing on social media, at work, etc. I’ve been doing some reading recently, insert bad joke here, hahaha. I read all the time but my mind has been set to a subject on the human battery.

I think the best thing I have seen to describe our situation is that “We are not working from home, we are at home during a crisis trying to work”. There is a definite distinction here and we need to acknowledge this.

As we have embarked on this “New Normal” I think at first most of the introverts thought, yes we got this, we were made for this. Extroverts may have had sudden pauses and wondered what were they in store for.

Introverts/Extroverts

Now I find most people forget the true meaning behind introvert/extrovertness. It is not being shy, or outgoing, not wanting to interact with people, or needing to be in the spotlight, etc. It is how you recharge your human battery. Do you need to be around people to reenergize or after being around a lot of people do you need some quiet time to recharge?

When we started this journey a few weeks ago I did find myself wondering how our extrovert friends and coworkers would cope; but as time is going on and people are settling into our routine I think this may be just as, if not more, tedious on the introvert crowd as well.

Everyone’s home life may look different. Some have kids at home full time now and are balancing taking care of kids (potentially supporting distance learning with school, more homework, keeping the kids entertained as they miss their friends, etc.), balancing work, taking care of family members, worrying about friends/family near/far, maybe they live alone, etc.

Everyone is struggling one way or another. Keeping mentally healthy is the biggest key right now to getting us to the other side, and we will get to the other side. Keep this in mind, cut each other more slack and give out more kindness. I stress as long as we keep ourselves and those surrounding us mentally healthy the work, home life, etc. will all fall into place and will get done

Battery Chargers

Our batteries are either not being recharged at all, only recharged slightly, not getting adequately drained, etc. You know how your phone works, sometimes it’s better to let it almost completely drain before you charge up. Keeping on the charger the entire time isn’t good for the battery either, nor is it good to keep it half drained and only charge it slightly.

Extroverts – no longer do they have groups to interact with physically to energize and may be leaning on their home family more to cope, or desperate to connect with friends or anyone. Willing to yell across the way to the neighbor or random passerby, etc. The disconnected voices on the phone may not be enough for them, they need to socialize.

- - Ideas – video meetings, take time for social interactions virtually to start the day with the project/team, etc

Introverts – They have lost their quiet time. Be it their drive to/from work, those hours before the kids get up/go to bed, etc. If they live in a household of people – they are ALWAYS around now needing extra attention. Our work situation has us now in our makeshift offices with nonstop meetings going constantly (gone are the quick drivebys at work replaced with 30 mins or so meetings), there is no end to the day, we are constantly on with more avenues to be contacted (cell, email, IM), our days start earlier and end later.

- - Ideas – schedule quiet time, i.e. between the hours of 7-8 I will be off limits (lose yourself in a book, movie, put on those noise cancelling headphones, go for a walk, etc).

Regardless of your tendencies Introvert/Extroverts I think we are all longing for more interactions – be it to energize and or to drain. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs has 5 tenants (its expanded since the original concept but let’s stay in the original view), the idea being as you start at the bottom of the pyramid you need these needs to be met first, then go up, but right there in the middle, right above safety is our need for Belongingness (relationships/friends). We need to find the best way to meet to the Belongingness need right now more than ever while balancing the need for the charge/drain/recharge of the human battery.

Self care and care for others

I, myself, find that without the drain of the interactions throughout the day my outlet to charge/recharge isn’t needed in the same way and I’m struggling with the right mix of charge, drain, recharge, therefore it’s getting hard to concentrate on anything.

First things first, get up and get moving, get that blood pumping. Then take a few moments to assess how you can help yourself recharge and then think of those around you (your family, your coworkers, project teams, etc), what are their needs? How can we all stay connected but give us all the chance to recharge in our own way?

I’d love to hear your ideas on how we can best support each other during these times and how best to balance working, home life, and most importantly how to give each other what we need to recharge those precious human batteries.