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People who’ve been introverted their entire lives are easily exhausted, but not because of physical activity. For the most part, it is from being around new people. 

“You know you’re an introvert if you find yourself needing to recharge your batteries on your own,” author and lawyer Susan Cain told The Harvard Crimson. 

“Imagine that you’ve been at a party for two hours and you’ve had a really good time. No matter how good a time you’ve had, you might feel depleted, drained of energy. And you get your energy from being in a quieter setting.”

Cain identifies as an introvert, something she struggled with during her early years as an attorney in New York. In her interview, she also touched on the common false impressions people have about her. 

“The misconceptions about introverts are that they’re antisocial, unfriendly, uncaring, and in fact, they’re really not—they just want to socialize in quieter ways,” she explained.

It isn’t uncommon for introverts to fall in love with extroverts and vice versa. However, specific issues could arise within the relationship because of their differing personalities. Cain has a tip to prevent these possible scenarios. 

“Negotiate in advance how often you’re going to socialize as a couple,” she said. “Because if one person wants to be going out all the time and the other person wants to hang out at home and be cozy, that can cause conflict. 

“You don’t want to negotiate that every night, so figure out in advance how often you are going to go out per week, agree to it, and stick to that plan.”

Shyness is another trait commonly associated with introversion. While these two intersect at some point, Cain explains the subtle difference. 

“They’re really not the same, because shyness is about the fear of social judgment,” she explained. “So you could be the kind of person I was describing before—someone who gets their energy from being on their own and needs to recharge that way—without being especially fearful about other people’s opinions.”

Introverts may be reserved, but as neuroscientist Friederike Fabritius points out, they have their fair share of strengths that set them apart. One of them is their ability to focus on a particular subject matter. 

“The ability to focus intensely is a key characteristic of introverts, who often have more extended focus than extroverts,” she wrote in an article for CNBC. 

“Because they enjoy spending time alone, introverts tend to be more willing than extroverts to put in the hours alone necessary to master a skill.”

Introverted employees will have a starkly different approach to work than their extroverted counterparts. If you’re an employer dealing with the former, Fabritius first emphasized respecting boundaries. 

“It takes up to 23 minutes for a person to regain focus after they’ve been interrupted. Don’t expect people to answer every email or Slack message immediately.”

Brainstorming sessions that involve everyone on the team can be beneficial. However, Fabritius encourages letting people be if they prefer to work solo. 

“Letting people shout ideas at each other in a room sounds like fun. But research shows that if you want to maximize creativity, let people generate ideas by themselves before sharing them in a group. Bonus: Your introverts will be far more comfortable sharing.”

Face-to-face interactions are, for the most part, the bane of an introvert’s existence. In line with respecting boundaries, Fabritius advises against imposing a specific mode of communication. 

“The introverts in your office may prefer emails, while the extroverts might enjoy handling business on the phone. Encourage people to decide how they want to communicate (e.g., turning cameras on or off), even if it differs from yours.”

When it comes to work, Fabritius stresses the importance of allowing employees to recharge their batteries. 

“As an introvert, my general message to employers is, ‘Let my people rest,’” she wrote. “Like it or not, the future of work is all about more choices, autonomy, and a culture that embraces introversion.”

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