25 Unexpected Benefits of Being Single

Listen to this article

Being in a relationship that reckons with your values and interests is something that most people desire and yearn for, but this is not always the case. The benefits of being single are plenty but are often overlooked.

Sometimes relationships can be toxic, and when one of the partners is emotionally or physically abusive, they can bring a lot of pain for both.  This conflict can thankfully be skipped by acknowledging some things.

Here are some reasons why being single is better than being trapped in a relationship that will eventually disappoint you. 

Is it better to be single?

Dating offers a chance to share your love with someone and appreciate who you are. But it is not the goal, as there are positive things about being single that often get ignored. 

Whether single or dating someone, it is important to be happy and enjoy life. 

Often people choose to stay in unhappy relationships because they are too scared of being alone. But being single does not imply loneliness as it can give a chance to connect with new people.

It is better to be single than be with someone who does not make you happy because of peer, family or social pressures. And then you can choose to date someone that you really like when they come your way. 

15 surprising benefits of being single

The advantages of being single are often overlooked because it is seen as a status that people do not prefer. Life is seen as a contest in which people in committed relationships are seen as successful, and the single ones are seen as unsuccessful.

Research shows various stereotypes related to being single, but these do not factor in all the advantages of being single.

The benefits of being single are not seen by people, as they are too focused on the societal goal of getting married. But here are some reasons that prove that happiness is being single:

1. More time for yourself

With all the free time that you have on your hands, you can focus more on your needs, reflect on what you truly desire in life, and discover what you like and use that knowledge to grow a better you. Besides this, you can go forward in life at your own pace.

One of the key benefits of being single is that there’s no need to rush or slow yourself down. Spending quality time with yourself should be regarded as a gift because most of us don’t get that privilege too often in our times. 

Related Reading: The 5 Pillars of Self-Care

3. Traveling flexibility

Traveling helps you better understand the world we live in and broaden your horizons. It gives you time to relax and to acquire new experiences. You can explore different cultures, eat exotic foods, listen to unbelievably good music and meet extraordinary people from all around the globe.

Feel free to travel around the world! One of the impactful benefits of being single is its flexibility to anyone who loves to travel.

4. Embrace healthy flirting

Committed relationships bring with them the added limitation on who you can talk to and in what manner. You are expected to conduct yourself in ways that would not irk your partner. 

One of the exciting benefits of being single is engaging in some healthy flirting with people you know or the ones you meet. And this can be left open-ended, as not every flirtatious act implies a deep meaning or serious consequences.

Part of learning how to be single and happy requires you to have fun dating people. Be light and playful while you still can!

5. The sex life

There is no doubt that sex plays a vital role for almost every individual out there.

One of the positives of being single is that it gives you the chance to engage in certain social circumstances without remorse and have one-night stands without feeling guilty or pressured. 

Casual sex and casual dating are great ways to explore yourself sexually and better understand what you want in bed. And this is why being single is better because you get a chance to explore yet stay guilt-free in your clandestine affairs.

Related Reading: Get All Your Answers to Building a Great Sex Life

6. More time for family

It’s all about priorities!

If you are actively working on building a strong bond with a partner, your familial relationships are going to take a backseat. You may not be able to attend family vacations or holidays, as you may be trying to make new traditions with your partner.

Single life gives you the chance to spend more time with your family. You can visit your parents often, spend holidays with them and go on vacations with them. This is the best part of being single.

Not having to go through any compromise in terms of your social life gives you more scope to focus on the people that matter to you already. You are able to give your time and effort to people who truly love and cherish you and who are not faking any of their feelings towards you.

7. More time for sleep and relaxation

Relationships require couples to give attention and time to each other. This can get in the way of your sound sleep and relaxation.

You can go to bed and wake up as per your timeline and not worry about getting up or staying up late for someone else. It will give you flexibility and extra time to cozy up in the bed to sleep some more.

Related Reading: 5 Reasons Why Being Single Is Always Better

8. A chance for deeper friendships

Being single allows you to meet with whomever, wherever and whenever you want. Being single also means you don’t have to go out anymore with people you disregard just to please your partner.

Isn’t this one of the best benefits of being single? You get to focus your attention and time only on the people close to your heart and with whom you feel comfortable.

Research has shown that nurturing friendships is an integral part of single life compared to people in relationships. It acts as a great support system during tough times.

9. A chance to get to know yourself

Jumping from one relationship to the next can leave little room for you to reflect and grow.

Being single gives you a chance to analyze your behavior and interest to develop a better understanding of who you are as a person. Once you know yourself, you can work towards getting things that will genuinely make you happy instead of following the crowd.

Related Reading: Top 100 Getting to Know You Questions

10. Time to help others out

Relationships can be time-consuming and may leave you with little room to offer your help to people you meet or know. 

As a single person, you are the boss of your own free time, and therefore you can use this time to help out a friend or family member. You can even volunteer your time to help out a cause that means a lot to you. You can do some real good with your free time as a single person.

11. Learn to rely on yourself

Independent living is challenging but rewarding.

One of the main benefits of being single is that you get the opportunity to figure things out on your own. You can live alone and be responsible for all of your household needs. 

Learning to be single and happy involves being independent, as it will help you become more confident and mature as an individual. You will learn to fend for yourself and take care of your needs without being dependent on someone else.

12. A chance to develop hobbies

Remember that hobby that you’ve always wanted to immerse yourself in? Now is the time to go for it!

One of the good things about being single is that it gives you the freedom to decide things for yourself and extra time. You can take up a course, learn new languages or skills, in your free time. 

There will be no need for you to justify this choice in front of anyone, as you don’t have someone who could deter you from doing this. 

Related Reading: How to Make Time for Your Personal Hobbies When Married

13. A more mature understanding of love

No time for puppy love anymore!

Single life gives you a chance to reflect on your past relationships. You can objectively analyze what went wrong in that relationship and are there ways you can avoid making the same mistakes in the future.

Also, in learning how to cope with being single, you will develop a deeper understanding of your emotional and social needs. It helps you understand love better and be more mature in love.

14. Not answerable to anyone

Why are you doing this? Please don’t do that!

The single life is free from the responsibility of pleasing someone constantly. You can live by your own rules and make decisions based on how you feel about them. 

While having a partner brings with it mutual expectations about everything, including your attire, career choices, food choices, lifestyle, social circle, et cetera.

15. More control overall

One of the key benefits of being single is the overall control over all aspects of their life. If your life is not interlinked with someone else’s, you have complete control over what you do in your day, career, and home affairs.

5 financial benefits of staying single

There are some benefits to sharing your finances with your partner, as you have someone to depend on and support you through tough times. 

But if you are trying to learn how to enjoy being single, read all the financial benefits of being single listed below and relish in your possible gains:

1. More for you

Sharing is caring, but this is not the case anymore when you’re single.

You can lavish yourself with the things that you always wanted to acquire. And besides all the new clothes you’ll buy, fancy meals and spa treatments, you can also travel around the globe on your itinerary.

This is one of the most substantial reasons why being single is the best.

2. More time, more money

If you have more time as a single person, you can concentrate more on your career. You can give your all at work and flourish in that arena to earn more money eventually.

Also, with the extra time on your hands, you can take up a part-time job that provides you with an additional income.

Related Reading: 15 Tips on How to Be Single and Happy

3. Prepare yourself financially

Being in a committed relationship, especially in marriage, you are expected to be financially stable. But if you are not there yet, single life gives you a chance to make yourself more financially stable.

You can take risks and travel for work if that means advancement in your career without worrying about a partner’s expectations. 

4. Less occasion-based expenses

Relationships involve expenditure as you plan things with your partner, whether for an anniversary, birthday, or Valentine’s Day. You may want to buy things for your partner or experience good things with them, which would involve repeated expenditure. 

You don’t have to worry about occasion-based expenses if you are single. You will only have to spend your money on things you feel are essential for you, which will help with your finances.

5. Better savings

Cohabitation and dating involve increased expenses, so you can save more money while you are single. 

You can find investment schemes that work for you and find ways to make your financial future more secure. You can do this without the pressure of being in a relationship and the expenses that come with it.

5 health benefits of staying single

Staying single is often associated with sadness and not enough attention being paid to one’s well-being. But here are some health benefits that one can actually gain from while they are single:

1. More time to exercise

Single people have the chance to focus more on their health and spend time at the gym. They may not have to put time into things that couples need to do to keep their relationship alive. 

The health of committed people often takes a backseat when other pressing things come up. But single people just have to focus on their health and well-being. Their exercise routine does not need to accommodate another person.

2. Less date night food

Dates are fun, but they also involve heavy calories. 

When couples step out for dates, they usually eat rich and delicious food. Multiple dates of this kind can lead to an unhealthy lifestyle that can cause harm in the long run. 

One of the benefits of being single is that you can regulate the number of outings you have without being swayed by your partner’s opinion or choices. You can have healthy food and cheat meals as per your health goals and desires.

Also Try: Do You Have Regular Date Nights?

3. Less stress

Yes, being single can come with societal pressures and the burden of the negative perception of being single. But one of the positive things about being single is that you won’t have to get into fights with your partner. 

Being in a relationship can be stressful as you try to blend your life with someone. It can lead to constant conflicts over little things that stress you out. But one of the benefits of being single is that you don’t have to worry about these things.

4. Bigger support group

Research has shown that single people live a much more integrated life with their community than people in relationships. This means that they have an extensive support system to rely on when you are not in a relationship.

You can go to them for any problem that you are facing, or to celebrate your successes with.

5. A more structured life

Single-life is more conducive to having a structured life, as your schedule is not closely linked with another person and their interests. You can set a specific time to eat, sleep, exercise, et cetera.

Research has shown that a structured living guarantees better mental health for the people who can follow it. Therefore, a single life provides healthier mental and physical health by giving you the chance to lead a structured life.

How to beat the fear of being single?

Many people are afraid of being single for different reasons, but you can overcome this fear by firstly loving yourself.

Remember that you are a fantastic person and you don’t need a partner for your life to be worthwhile. Spending time by yourself is a prize, not a punishment that you have to dread.

You don’t have to rush into another relationship. Instead, take a moment and learn to enjoy the freedom and flexibility that being single offers you. You can have control over all aspects of your life and not be dependent on someone else.

Related Reading: 20 Signs You Might Be Single Forever

To understand the fear of being alone better, watch this video:

Ways to enjoy being single

The point of being single is that there are no limits to what you can do, eat, wear or think. There is no need to feel wrong about your ideas of what a good life truly means. 

You shouldn’t be fearful of being on your own; instead, you should embrace the freedom that comes along with it and try to make the most out of it.

You don’t need to neglect yourself over someone else’s needs or ideas. At least for a while, being single will give you the maturity you need if you want to engage in a relationship further along the road in life.

If relationships are just not your thing, then you can just enjoy your free time and put it to good use in activities that entangle your interests and ideas about how life should be from now on.

This is why being single is always better.

Bottom line

Being single comes with some surprising benefits that are often overlooked. It can give you greater freedom and control over your life. You can learn to be more independent and give yourself a chance to grow in all aspects of your life. 

Psychologist Silvana Mici says,

Being single can help you realize what you would need in life later on.

With a better understanding of yourself and a more mature outlook, you will be in a much better space to welcome love into your life if you are open to it.