Being an introvert is a heavily misunderstood state of being but something many people consider themselves to be. An introvert is simply someone who finds social situations incredibly draining, and needs time alone in order to recharge their energy. It doesn’t mean that you don’t like people, it just means you need to handle interactions in a different way to your extroverted counterparts.
Running a business as an introvert comes with its own challenges – unlike extroverts who don’t get drained by activities like networking and sales, you really have to think about how to run and grow your company while also preserving your energy. That doesn’t mean that you can’t have a thriving business, it just means setting certain things up so you can always show up as the best version of yourself.
Set Your Schedule Around Your Energy
There are certain parts of running a business and being an entrepreneur that just has to be done or else the business won’t survive. It’s different for different types of industries. If you’re an online entrepreneur, you might have to do a lot of calls with potential clients, but imagine what that would do to your energy if you have to do back-to-back calls, how do you make this more bearable?
Build time to recharge into your schedule. Whether you have a day with zero calls or free afternoons, make sure you set a time that allows you to recharge. Remember, if you feel tired and drained, it’s going to be impossible to do your job and to do it well, so being rested and relaxed isn’t just for you, it’s for your business too.
Make Travel Less Stressful
Another necessary part of running a business is a travel and network events. As great as these things are, they are also draining for an introvert. The process of moving to and from the event, being around a lot of people for hours on end, and even the overwhelm that comes with new ideas shared at conferences can be immensely taxing.
There are ways you can make it easier. Being in crowded boarding lounges can also affect you, and you can either pay to get into a private lounge or if you really want to splurge, you can consider chartering a plane for you and your team. Many people are intimidated by what they think a charter plane cost will be, but there are actually great packages. Travel is incredibly draining for everyone, but for introverts, it’s a lot worse. Whatever steps you can take to make it easier will be great for your mental health.
Try Podcasting
If you’re an entrepreneur, you’re going to have to put yourself out there and increase your visibility in your niche. If you’re an introvert, preferably you would want to do this from the comfort of your home right? Well, you can by leaning into podcasting. Podcasts are a powerful way to introduce yourself to new audiences, network with fellow business owners, and increase your authority in your industry.
It’s great because you can have amazing conversations without leaving your home, and you can leverage the podcast to create all sorts of content. If you want to protect your energy while growing your business, you can start your own podcast, or just pitch yourself to podcasts and be featured as a guest.
Fine Tune Your Environment
The great thing about being an online entrepreneur is that you can build a thriving 6-figure business from the comfort of your home, which is also great for introverts because going into an office and spending all day with people can really be tough on your energy. You have more freedom, and you can work in a space with more peace and calm which will allow you to do your best work.
Your working environment impacts how you feel, how you work, and your ability to rest so put a lot of thought into it. Decorate your working space so that it calms you and inspires you to do your best work. Remove all clutter from your space because working in a disorganized space will also affect your energy.
Being an introvert isn’t a weakness or a flaw that you have to correct, it’s just how you function as a human being. As an entrepreneur, it can actually work in your favor if you know how to protect your energy and give yourself time to recharge your batteries. Many successful business owners are introverted and we can learn a lot from them and implement it in our own lives.