Advantages and Disadvantages of Living Alone

People either love or hate living alone. There is usually no in-between. There are almost 8 million one-person households in the United States and about 300 million globally. Some people live alone by choice. Others live alone because there is no other option. Either way, those who live alone are in the fastest-growing group in the world.

Advantages of Living Alone

About 1 in 4 people in the United States live alone. There are many reasons they do so. There are also many advantages and disadvantages of living alone.

Living alone could present a list of advantages:

• There is no one there to fight with you for the TV remote.
• There is no problem with the thermostat setting for heat in the winter and coolness in summer.
• Senseless arguments don't exist.
• No one is there to judge you if you want to eat bacon and eggs for dinner.
• Everything is left exactly where you put it.
• You know when something is needed from the supermarket because there are no empty cartons in the refrigerator.
• You know you can eat the last piece of something without someone complaining.
• You can play your music as loud as you want, and no one is there to tell you to turn the volume down. Also, you don't have to tell others to lower the volume of their music.
• You can walk around your house in an old robe, sweatpants, a torn t-shirt, or nothing at all without being judged.
• A person who lives alone can do things without trying to please others.
• People who live alone can replace their toilet paper rolls in the direction they want.
• There is less clutter around the house. If there is clutter, it is your own clutter and not somebody else's.

Living alone can be one of the greatest joys adults can experience, especially because they do not have to deal with those things listed above.

Research proves that living alone is good for people who can afford to do so. The result of several studies written by Eric Klinenberg in Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise And Surprising Appeal Of Living Alone proved that some of the most sociable and successful people in the world live alone.

More Me Time

Living alone gives people time to get to know themselves better by allowing themselves to have as much “me time” as they need. They are free from distractions and others' judgments. Steven Kurutz wrote in the New York Times that people have habits that are off-limits when they live with someone else.

Those who live alone get to know themselves better. They are not being watched and told what to do and what not to do.

When you live by yourself, you will have plenty of time for self-discovery. You can pray, meditate, journal, and do what makes you happy. You can dance as if no one is watching because no one is there to watch.

Creativity

People can be more creative when they live alone. There is no one to distract them when they are in the middle of doing an important project.

Christopher Long and James R. Averill wrote about living alone in their abstract Solitude: An Exploration of Benefits of Being Alone that appeared in The Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour. They say solitude has long been linked to creativity, spirituality, and intellect. We are better able to concentrate when people are not around.

Disadvantages of Living Alone

Living alone could present a number of disadvantages:

• There's no one to come home to.
• No one is around to say, “Bless you” when you sneeze.
• No one is available to share the good news with.
• There is no one to eat at the table with you.
• In an emergency, there is no one to borrow gas money from until payday.
• People must deal with the stigma of living alone.
• There is no one to split the rent and household bills with.
• The toilet seat is always the way you want it.
• You don't have to be concerned about whether the new toilet paper goes under or over the roll. The choice is yours.
• No one will eat your last scoop of ice cream.
• The ice trays will either contain ice or water to be frozen.
• Dirty dishes can stay in the sink until you get around to washing them without anyone nagging you about it.
• You might get bored if you live alone.

Living with others who don't share your likes, dislikes, and interests can negatively impact a relationship.

There can be tension when lifestyles are different. There could be subtle negative remarks and spats that elevate to full-blown arguments. To prevent this from happening, it is best to live by yourself.

Myths

• It is a myth that people who live alone don't have a healthy social life.
• It is also a myth that the word “alone” means that a person is a recluse, alienated, or lonely.