6 Reasons We’d Much Rather Be Single

There is a common belief that those who are single are searching for “their other half” and that singlehood is just a temporary phase. The single life is meant to be the unfortunate pause between relationships and is meant to be kept as short as possible. These beliefs, however, are not always true. Plenty of singles are perfectly happy to remain single and are not seeking any sort of relationship.

People may choose to remain single for a variety of reasons. They may have just left a relationship and want to take a break before they begin to seek out another partner. Others suffered a bad break up and have been turned off by the idea of relationships for the moment or permanently. Still others may have become disillusioned with the dating scene or the prevalence of people looking for “no-strings attached sex” in the current hook-up culture.

Some singles, however, have not been turned off by the idea of relationships by an outside source or bad breakup. Some of them just like the single life better. There are, after all, plenty of advantages that come with living the single life, and to them, they outweigh the advantages of a relationship. Here are six reasons some people would rather be single.

A Different Focus

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A healthy relationship requires a great deal of time and energy. It is worth the effort for many people, but some singles would prefer to put that time and energy toward other things. They might be focused on their careers at the moment and want to put all of their available time and energy toward climbing the corporate ladder. Some of them are also focusing on their education. Singles who are going to school full time may want to keep their entire focus on their studies. Degrees are not cheap, and many singles would prefer to get as much out of their education as possible. For them, relationships can come later, if at all.

While plenty of people who are in happily committed relationships will insist that a partner will help single people increase their energy or help them carry the emotional burden of their studies or career, simply finding those partners takes time and energy. Many singles who are focused on other aspects of their lives do not want to take the time and energy to sort through the inevitable string of failed dates to find a satisfactory relationship. There are places that are more deserving of their attention.

Too Busy

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“I’m too busy for a relationship” is often seen as a cop-out by well-meaning friends who are trying to help their unfortunate single friend find the man or woman of their dreams. While there is truth to the old adage that people either find or make time for what is really important to them, there are periods in people’s lives where the only free moments that exist are spent taking care of basic necessities like showering, eating or sleeping. They truly do not have the time to get to know someone or to invest in a relationship.

Relationships are rewarding experiences, and many people find that the time they invest in their relationship is well worth it. There is, however, a certain time commitment required. For some singles, they do not have the time that they would want to be able to give their partner. As such, it is better to just remain single. Besides, singles might find what they are doing with their time just as rewarding as a relationship.

Self-Development or Discovery

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Some singles are not currently interested in developing a relationship because they are currently more invested in developing themselves. It is not advisable for a person to get involved with someone when they are still trying to learn who they are themselves. When a person does not know who they are, they do not know what they want from a relationship. This is not a good frame of mind for either party in the relationship. In addition, it is far harder for someone to investigate who they are as a person when at least a small part of their identity and time is wrapped up in another person.

Self-development and self-discovery are perfectly good reasons to remain single and speak to a mature mindset. A single person who is focused on learning about themselves or self-improvement will be much more likely to have a healthy relationship at a later date if they choose to pursue one.

No Need to Explain Themselves

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Some singles like the control that being single gives them over their lives. When a person is single, a person does not have to “answer” to or “get permission” from anyone in any way shape or form. If they choose not to shower all weekend, there is no one to give the single person strange looks and ask why they did not even bother to bathe. If they decide to spend a ridiculous amount of money on concert tickets, there is not another person who is going to be negatively affected by their choice. A single person’s time, space and money belong entirely to them. If they want to travel, they do not have to worry about working around someone else’s schedule. The single person can simply pick up and leave whenever they are able. There is no one they have to confer with or to whom they need to justify their choices. Their lives truly belong to them.

Their Space Belongs to Them

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One of the most attractive parts of being single is that their space is theirs and theirs alone. Those who are in relationships often have to compromise on basic decisions about their living space since it is extremely unlikely that both people in the relationship agree perfectly on what temperature they want their home to be, how many blankets should be on the bed and how big the pile of dishes in the sink can get before it is unacceptable. Singles do not have to make any of those compromises. They alone decide how many blankets should be on the bed and how many days the trash can can go unemptied before it goes from being “full” to “disgusting.”

Singles also have the advantage of knowing that any mess in their home is their fault and only their fault. There are no days where they come home from work and find that the sink has mysteriously filled with dishes or that their nice clean countertops are suddenly covered in makeup. There is no stumbling over someone else’s dirty underwear in the morning. If there is a mess in a single person’s home it is because they left it there, not because someone else did not clean up after themselves.

Unsuitable Lifestyle For a Relationship

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Some singles live lifestyles that are not suited for a relationship. They may be away from home for long periods of time, especially if their job requires them to travel. If they are on the road 25 out of 30 days each month, a relationship may not be feasible. Not only are they short on time, but it is not necessarily fair to the other person in the relationships if their partner is gone all the time. Similarly, if a single person works long hours every night, they may not be interested in a relationship or have the time necessary to devote to their partner.

A lifestyle that is unsuited to relationships may be temporary or permanent and may be the product of external circumstances or a matter of choice. A single person may be traveling often because they are in the process of changing jobs and moving across the country. They may also be on the road all the time because they enjoy traveling and find fulfillment in the constant movement and freshness that comes from continuously visiting new cities. It varies from person to person.