On Working Alone

I've always loved days where I can work from morning until evening, stopping only for tea and food. These uninterrupted stretches are where i find my flow.

For the longest time, I thought this was something I should change. Most people seem to want more social interaction woven throughout their days.

I started paying attention to when my best work happens. And it's always alone.

Whether I'm writing, taking photos, or working with wood, I need space to reflect, daydream, and follow ideas wherever they lead. Being around others—even people I care about—creates a different kind of energy that pulls me away from this flow.

The quiet days, the social limits, the preference for one-on-one time—they're all connected.

The Double Standard

Creative work gets a pass. We understand that artists, writers, and makers need quiet space to do their best work.

But structure your whole life around deep, solo work and suddenly it seems unusual. The expectation shifts when solitude becomes a lifestyle rather than just a creative necessity.

Yet this is how I create my best work. The uninterrupted days aren't just productive—they're where genuine insight and quality emerge.

Honest About What Works

I've stopped seeing this as antisocial. It's just honest about what works.

The challenge isn't defending solitude—it's recognizing that different people have different optimal conditions for their best work and thinking.

I'm still learning to communicate this need without it sounding like rejection of others, but the work itself speaks for what this approach makes possible.