Searching for ways to feel less afraid of living in your own place? For first timers, here are some safety tips for living on your own.
In every person’s life, there will always be a phase where they are to experience living alone. Each person’s drive or reason can differ from another. The only constant among this would be the adjustment period that one has to go through.
If you have recently transitioned to living alone, it is normal to feel bouts of loneliness, anxiety, or fear, but this does not mean that you have to get used to it. There are a couple of things that you can do to get used to living alone smoothly and happily. Here are some ways that you can start with.
8 Simple Safety Tips For Living On Your Own For The First Time
How Do You Adapt to Living Alone?
This is never easy because this phase may bring out emotional issues that were not there before. Do remember that you can do this at your own pace. Here are some tips to adjusting to living alone.
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Accept your reality.
The first step to adjusting smoothly will be to acknowledge your reality. Accept that you are going to live alone. Think about the reasons that led to this and find the silver lining in your situation. This may be a new slate for you, an opportunity to do more, or a time to think of how you want to live your life. Accept your reality and keep it positive.
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Get to know other people.
Being in an unfamiliar or a new environment on your own can be daunting. Hence, meeting people within your community is essential to making you feel more comfortable. You can find a group that you can join, a community that you can be a part of, or a professional that you can talk to in case you feel like your emotions are too much for you to handle alone.
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Set goals.
Now that you are alone, you have to set your mind into things that matter. Think of the things that you want to do, enumerate your goals, and come up with ways to achieve them as you spend time living on your own.
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Create a routine.
The key to getting used to living alone is to have a clear and regular routine. This will let you get used to your setup faster and easier. This also gives you a sense of direction so you do not spend your time overthinking which may lead to anxiety.
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Bank on your security.
The most important thing and your top priority should be your making sure that you are safe. Being alone in a new or unfamiliar environment makes you vulnerable to harm if you are not careful. Here are a couple of things that you can do to keep yourself safe in at all times.
8 Safety Tips for Living Alone For the First Time
1. Know Your Place
As a person living alone, you have to know your place better than anybody. You have to know all the entry and exit points. It is also important that you check your doors and locks. Make sure that all of them are working, if you have doubts about it, you can always put additional locks or have someone install them for you. Check out parts of your home that are vulnerable to break-ins and have them sealed or replaced immediately.
2. Get to Know People in Your Area
It is good to have a lot of time alone to yourself. However, getting to know the people in your neighborhood can give you an advantage. Get to know people around the area and establish a good relationship with key persons. Have regular meetings with them to catch up and be updated with what is happening in the community.
3. Always Have Your Keys Ready
Invest on a good key chain, key or card holder so you can easily locate it whenever you need it. Make it a habit to have them ready and accessible before opening your door. Avoid taking time in finding your keys in front of your place as this can be a good opportunity for intruders to take advantage of you.
4. Create an Emergency Exit Plan
Emergencies and break-ins happen in unexpected times. You have to make sure you prepare measures in case these happen. Apart from that, you must also keep emergency contact numbers on your phone or in different areas of your house in case you lose access to your phone.
5. Invest on High Quality Locks
There are different kinds of locks available in stores. Determine which one applies to your setting. Find the best one that suits your setup and get one with the highest quality. It is good to save up on purchasing items but never attempt to save on safety locks. If you feel that your existing locks can easily be compromised, go ahead and add a different one for added protection.
6. Never Give Hints When You Are Alone
Whether you are aware of it or not, there are some people who are up to no good and some of them can be around you. Refrain from giving hints to people whenever you are going to spend time in your home alone. This also applies to your posts on social media. It is best not to post whenever you are home alone or you are going out of town. This will help prevent break-ins from happening.
7. Mind Your Privacy
Apart from not being too open about you living alone to other people especially strangers, you also have to mind the small things that cover your privacy. A good example would be your windows. Make sure to invest in curtains or blinds to make sure people from outside do not see you sleeping, bathing, or doing activities that should be kept personal. This will also prevent thieves from having the opportunity to study your home’s arrangement from outside.
8. Get a Pet
Pets are good company for those who are living alone. Apart from the joy they bring to your home, they are actually a good indicator whenever someone is within your premises. They are highly sensitive to sound and movement so you can count on them to alarm you anytime they sense something especially during late hours at night when you are fast asleep.
Conclusion
Living alone is an experience that can teach you a lot of good lessons in life. This can improve your self-reliance and help you discover a lot of things about yourself.
The transition to this state isn’t always easy, but there are a lot of things you can do to get through the phase faster and better. If you happen to have made this transition yourself, make sure to run through the checklist of tips on how to improve your safety. This will definitely benefit you in the long run.
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