Category: Privacy

Are you getting some time to yourself every day to process your thoughts and let your mind wander? Privacy is one of our Emotional Needs that needs to be met to secure our wellbeing.

Finding time for you can be difficult – especially if you work in a busy office or a buzzing site. Not having time to meet our need for privacy can get in the way of processing our thoughts, thinking things through and deciding what’s important to us. If you’re finding your job demanding, you may need time away to turn things over in your mind and reflect on the task in hand.

If we are distracted by other concerns and find it difficult to listen to other people, a lack of privacy can also affect our relationships. And, without privacy during the day, we might find that our mind is still whirring when we are trying to sleep – this might be the first time in the day when we have had privacy to try and process things.

So, what simple things can you do to meet your need for Privacy?

• Allocate time for yourself in your day where you can have privacy. This might not always easy if you have a busy life, but taking just 10 minutes a day to be alone with your thoughts will help. At work, this could be going for a walk during your lunch break.
• If you work from home alongside other family members, agree a time with those around you (whether that be your partner, family, friends or housemates) when you can have some time alone so that they respect this time and give you the space.
• Create a space that enables you to feel calm, such as your bedroom at home, an outside space or a dedicated calm area. If you’re lucky, your work might already have a breakout space that you could use during the day.
• Step away from your desk or other workspace and do something relaxing such as doodling, taking a walk or just having five minutes of peace where you are away from the distractions of life (try and put your phone away!).

Take 10 for privacy outside

Getting outdoors and having access to nature is also a great way to meet our need for Privacy, as well as some of our other emotional needs. While a lack of nature can be a barrier to wellbeing, our research (from our Emotional Needs Survey on the Suffolk Mind website) shows that having access to nature supports people to meet their emotional needs for Movement, Privacy and Security.

Having access to the outdoors and nature is important for our mental and physical health. So, could you take 10 minutes away from your desk to sit calmly amongst nature, mull over your day, perhaps with a cup of tea, and do something positive for your mental wellbeing?