Life
Things You Probably Shouldn't Do Alone
Some days we find ourselves without any company, and being alone shouldn't stop you from doing what you want to do. However, even if you are the most independent person in the world, there are certain things you should never do alone, whether it's because it's something potentially unsafe or because it could be much harder emotionally to trudge through it on your own. Independence is important, but so is watching out for your own wellbeing.
"I don't believe in this day and age there is anything that a women shouldn't do, as opposed to a man," says life coach Gemma McRae over email. "The only cases where a woman shouldn't do something as opposed to a man would be where doing something would affect health or where it's deemed unsafe for a woman. For example, in certain countries it's simply not safe for a female to travel alone because of how they are perceived. That's unfortunately the reality."
You might be tempted to feel totally free and do whatever you want whenever you want, but sometimes it's best to have someone else by your side watching out for you. Here are 7 things you should never do by yourself, no matter how tempted you might be.
1Go Swimming In Open Water
You should always have someone watching you while you are swimming, especially in open water. "Make sure someone at home knows where you are going, who you are with, a contact number, and when you expect to be home," says swim instructor Carolanne Caron over email. "Parents who are watching children in the water should account for every child every 10 seconds while they are in the water."
2Invite A Blind Date To Your Home
Online dating is one of the most common ways people meet each other, and although it can be fun, you should be cautious about who you meet up with. "As a safety expert, I suggest never meeting up with someone at their place alone," says Sage Singleton, safety expert for SafeWise, over email. "Also, never invite them to your house alone on the first date."
3Apply Sunscreen
If you really want to protect your skin, you should never put on sunscreen just by yourself. "Unfortunately, the back is difficult to reach by yourself and is at high risk for exposure to the sun and possible sunburn," says dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD over email. "Have a friend or family member help cover your back with sunscreen before going to the beach, and enlist their help again every two hours when you reapply."
4Fire Someone
It's best not to fire someone alone. "This leaves you open to being implicated should anything go wrong," says life coach Julia Ng over email. "To be on the safe side, always have an HR representative and/or a legal representative in order to have the company aware of what goes on during the process of firing someone."
5Deal With A Mental Health Issue
Whether you're suffering from anxiety, depression, or any other mental health issue, you shouldn't have to go through it alone. "The natural tendency is to isolate yourself when you're depressed or anxious, but actually, isolation is the worst thing to do," says counselor and life coach Monte Drenner over email. "Connectivity to others who care is the solution to helping resolve a mental health issue."
6Grieve
"Grief is definitely one of the most difficult emotions to work through, particularly grief from loss of a spouse, a child or a miscarriage," says Drenner. "The best cure for grief is the encouragement that one receives from friends and family. Toughing out grief alone only makes the process longer and more difficult."
7Make A Decision That Involves Another Person
Major life decisions shouldn't always be made alone, especially if they end up affecting others. "For couples, this could be discussing if you want kids, how many kids, if and when you will buy a home, and when it's time to move," says life coach Nancie A. Vito, MPH, CHES over email. Even if it doesn't involve another person, it's good to get different perspectives from others.
