Those who LOVE social distancing are...

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Introverts like me feel like we've been prepared for an event like the coronavirus virtually our entire lives.

Under normal circumstances, we consciously seek out solitude in order to clear our minds and recharge our batteries -- especially after dealing with people for hours on end.

Now, alone time has been thrust upon us. It's as if social distancing were tailor-made for introverts the world over.

While extroverts, who thrive on social interaction, might regard having to stay at home for weeks or months as an unwelcome disruption in their lives, introverts are receiving it with open arms.

We thrive on written communication. We relish alone time. We thrill at the opportunity to enjoy solitary pursuits.

That's not to suggest we're misanthropes who loathe people and would gladly barricade ourselves in our homes if given the opportunity.

We enjoy social interaction -- just in smaller doses, and with fewer people.

In fact, introverts are known to become quite gregarious around those in whom they confide -- from old friends to close family members.

If you want an introvert to come out of his shell, you're more likely to be successful if:

• It's a small group of people. The fewer the people, the more likely we are to open up. In particular, introverts are partial to one-on-one interactions. Getting lost in a crowd of people they don't know is nothing short of misery for us. 

• The event doesn't drag on. Lots of people mean lots of noise and commotion, a surefire recipe for an introvert to become drained. If the occasion lasts more than a couple of hours, expect an introvert to leave early in order to recharge the batteries at home. 

• You engage us in intellectually stimulating discourse. Nothing turns an introvert off quite like chit chat -- whether about the neighbor's broken vase or the brand of paint Sue's cousin chose. Deep conversations about the economy, politics, human behavior, or the cosmos? Now you're talking! 

In these unprecedented times, however, we've been ordered to avoid gatherings and limit contact with people outside our households if at all possible. 

Introverts don't mind interacting with people via email, text, or social media because it affords us the opportunity to think about what we're going to say before pressing the "Send" button.

In person, on the other hand, you must be quick on your feet. Not to mention that working from home mitigates everything from pointless meetings to workplace bickering. 

I respect that some people feel there's no replacement for the human touch, with online communication feeling quite impersonal. 

But my view is that as long as you're doing your work, enjoying hobbies, or finding other ways to make good use of the time, there's little to complain about. 

Introverts can only hope that once this is all said and done, more employers will realize that productivity -- and morale -- doesn't go down when employees work remotely, and that they become more receptive to letting these workers work from home at least a couple of days per week year-round. 

Thank goodness there are still places like libraries and museums to which we can retreat!