The Power of Time Spent Alone By Saito Takashi

December 31, 2023 947 Views

There is a book titled “The Power of Alone Time,” and from the title alone, it seems like a book that resonates with many aspects of life. Until the pre-COVID era, there was a prevalent cultural aversion to being alone, to the extent that a new term, “FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out),” emerged.

Since the pandemic, numerous aspects of society have changed, leading one to think that we are now in an era where those who can effectively utilize “alone time” are the ones who ultimately thrive.

“Saito Takashi, The Power of Alone Time”

The author, Saito Takashi, is Japanese. Personally, not knowing much about the author except through this book, it seems like a book I chose to read based solely on its title.

The overall message conveyed in the book remains consistent. Saito Takashi encourages readers to view alone time not merely as a period of solitude but as a time for personal development.

Saito Takashi, now a renowned professor in Japan, attributes his current state of being to approximately ten years of what he refers to as a “dark period” of profound solitude.

“Loneliness, Solitude, Loneliness”

While in the Korean language, the term “고독 (loneliness)” is primarily used to express the concept of being alone, the English language often differentiates the idea into two categories. The time spent alone, feeling lonely, is termed “Loneliness,” whereas the state of being alone and content is referred to as “Solitude.”

In essence, the core message of this book is to consider “alone time” not as “Loneliness” but as “Solitude.”

“You Cannot Grow Without Alone Time.”

Similar to Saito Takashi, I am by no means an extraordinary person, but there were many aspects in the book that I personally resonated with. The book emphasizes that alone time is necessary for growth, and practicing how to use alone time effectively is crucial.

If one spends alone time merely to fill the void, meeting people artificially or wasting time, the result might not be significant. On the contrary, utilizing alone time effectively, filling it with activities like self-improvement or pursuing one’s passions, can lead to personal development.

“If There Was No Alone Time…”

Personally, without alone time, the current me wouldn’t exist. While not achieving anything significant, going through periods of being alone allowed me to gain control over how I use my time. Of course, I still occasionally indulge in laziness, but…

Although I haven’t achieved much by utilizing alone time, I have been able to read several books and maintain a consistent writing habit on my blog, which has opened up various opportunities.

Consistent language study has eliminated concerns about English, and I’ve gained basic knowledge of Japanese, Chinese, and Spanish. Except for Japanese, I haven’t been consistently studying the other two languages, so they are not practically usable. Nevertheless, I am somewhat more familiar with them than if I knew nothing.

“Inevitably, You Will Encounter Alone Time.”

While the world is not a place where one lives alone, inevitably, everyone will face alone time at some point. Considering practicing how to effectively use alone time in advance seems important.

“The Power of Alone Time”