They may seem quiet. They may need their alone time. Or, they might not. With introverts, stereotypes abound. They might also be one of the most underestimated and misunderstood groups in the workplace.
“The assumption is that introverts hate people, want to be alone all the time and don’t like to talk,” Mallory McCord, Ph.D., said in a university feature. In her research, she shared findings of “substantial anecdotal evidence that introverts feel excluded, disliked, underestimated and overlooked in the workplace.”
Introverts have been called “brilliant behind the scenes” but research has also pointed to a potential for negative responses to introverts at work. For example, they point to the fact that they can be “unfairly overlooked” for leadership positions.
But few extroverts really get what if feels like in an introvert’s mind and body at work. Freelance business coach and agency owner Jenni Gritters self-identifies as an introvert. As such, she has worked to align her business set up with her own personal needs. “I describe it as breathing—inhale, exhale. Imagine just gulping down inhales and never exhaling,” she says. “That’s what it would feel like for an introvert to be in social situations all the time—including social media.”
Find outreach that aligns with your needs
Sharing content online, regardless of industry, is often a less-identified drain for an introvert. Gritters helps her introverted clients pick places where they feel “most aligned to show up.”
“Maybe they don’t love being in a live room and doing networking, but they love publishing a newsletter… it gives them more space and gives them more energy.” She recommends asking where and how you will do your work, which can lead to intentional scheduling.
Commit to scheduling ahead intentionally
“My biggest tip and one thing that has truly helped me is creating a structured routine for my work days. Tools like Slack and Asana allow me to manage the workflow without needing constant face-to-face or video calls, which helps conserve my energy,” says Chelsea Kershaw, CEO and co-founder of Digi Ink PR in Corona, California.
She also protects her morning hours, keeping them free of meetings so she can have “deep focus” on high-level projects to complete that day. “I also have the luxury of being able to work from home, so having a dedicated space here where I can focus without interruptions has been crucial. It’s all about designing these systems that give me time to recharge throughout the day so I can bring my best self to client work and team interactions, and it doesn’t hurt I get to cuddle my dogs in between meetings.”
Protect your inner peace
“When you are an introvert, boundaries are really important. You really need to protect your space and recharge, because if you don’t do that, you burn out,” Gritters says. This is where she says “margin” is a must.
“You need to protect that space and stillness because otherwise, you run out of gas,” Gritters says. This might look like spacing out tiring meetings, ending them 45 minutes in to preserve the last 15 minutes of each hour for a break or having meeting-free days altogether if possible.
It will get easier
Some introverts like Kershaw say that as they get older and more experienced, it gets easier to understand how to be an introvert in the workplace. “When I first started, it took a lot more energy to interact and reach out to people, but as I grew personally and professionally and saw my work creating real impact, I found it less daunting. Now, when I’m reaching out to media or working with our wonderful clients, I feel more like I’m showing up to share value rather than putting myself in the spotlight.” She adds that it has been helpful to choose a career that works behind the scenes to put others in the spotlight, as public relations professionals do.
Intentionally unwind after tiring tasks
While some people might be able to jump right into a busy evening, Kershaw says that doesn’t work for her. “I love ending my day with an indoor cycle class to dance on the bike and not have to think about work, and I always look forward to spending time with my husband and our dogs in the evening. He recharges my soul. These moments really help me balance being ‘always on,’ so I can mentally recharge.”
Other tips from working introverts
- “This is a bit random, but although I am a fan of cold brew, I find hot coffee gets me more pumped up, so if I need to come across especially energetic or outgoing, I’ll have a cup of hot coffee beforehand.” —Kristi Eaton, CEO and founder of KE Comms in Tulsa, Oklahoma
- “Working an event can drain me for days. I made it a rule that if I have an event coming up, in which I have to be ‘on,’ I have to make sure and take three days off.” —Petrona Joseph, account manager at Twenty-Six Comms in Montreal
- “Prescheduling content and being really thoughtful about that and having a day or a week when you create your content and drip it out across your channels, but you aren’t consistently engaged in that conversation.” —Jenni Gritters
Photo by: Jacob Lund/Shutterstock.com
