In fact, studies show that if we never allow ourselves solitude, it’s just plain harder for us to learn. In Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi writes, “Our current research with talented teenagers shows that many fail to develop their skills not because they have cognitive deficits, but because they cannot stand being alone.” His research found that young people were less likely to develop creative skills like playing an instrument or writing because the most effective practice of these abilities is often done while alone.
