12 tips to overcome loneliness when working from home
Working from home sounds fantastic in theory - and in many ways it is: no getting up extra early to get ready, no scraping snow and ice off your car on winter mornings, no traffic, no lunches prepared in advance... And while teleworking offers a bunch of advantages, it also comes with its challenges and difficulties, one of the most common being the feeling of loneliness resulting from the lack of human contact. Of course, technology allows us to keep in regular contact with our colleagues, but is that really a sufficient substitute for face-to-face interaction?
First and foremost, it's important to remember that we're all very different. Some people are fine on their own for long periods, while others need to see people. Which one are you? There's no right or wrong answer here.
If you work remotely - away from your colleagues - or are self-employed and always work from home, take the time to reflect on what loneliness means to you and the emotions it evokes. If you're feeling the burdens of solitude, there are a few things you can do to help.
We asked Bonjour-santé's nurses to share a few tips to help overcome the feeling of loneliness when teleworking.
- Normalise the need for connection: Feeling lonely working alone in your home office while your colleagues seem perfectly happy teleworking? Don't feel bad! Many people feel the same as you. Recognise that the need to connect with others is fundamental and completely normal. No need to feel guilty.
- Kick off the day with a quick hello: When you set foot in the office in the morning, you usually say hello to your colleagues and chat for a minute or two. You can keep up this habit even if you're working remotely. As you start your day, send a quick hello to a colleague or two. It's good for the soul!
- Establish social routines/breaks: Plan social breaks in advance or spontaneously, whether through video calls, virtual meals or, whenever possible, outings with colleagues, friends or family.
- Choose videoconferencing: Use videoconferencing rather than chat to discuss projects, business issues or situations with your colleagues. Interacting with your colleagues, even through a screen, brings a much greater sense of closeness than exchanging messages via chat.
- Join online groups: Join online groups that share your interests or create groups on a variety of non-work related topics to discuss a wide range of topics. Building an online community is a great way to develop new friendships.
- Practise self-compassion: This is an important one! Be kind to yourself and recognise your emotional needs.
- Get out of the house: Ideally, when possible, go to the office occasionally to work. If that's not possible, work from time to time in public places, such as a café or bookshop, or regularly take time out for a change of scene, such as going to the park, taking a walk, or dropping in on a friend.
- Locate coworking spaces: There are more and more of them around! Work in coworking spaces for a few days each month.
- Do positive solitary activities: Get involved in hobbies you enjoy, such as art, listening to music, exercising, reading or meditating.
- Set clear limits: Establish and stick to your working hours, as well as times for socialising and relaxing.
- Reach out: When you're working from home, it's easy to cut yourself off from the world. You may not even realise it until it's too late. Keep reaching out. Humans thrive when their sense of belonging is reinforced by healthy social ties. Reach out to friends, family and even remote colleagues. That's what they're there for.
- Talk about it: If you feel lonely, don't be ashamed to admit it. It doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you, and feeling embarrassed will only make it worse. Loneliness is simply a biological response to isolation. It's as natural as feeling hungry and thirsty when you have no food or water. Find someone you trust and tell them how you feel.
There's no way to “turn off” loneliness with a snap of the fingers, but the tips below may help. Want to talk more? Remember that with the Bonjour-santé membership, members have unlimited access to our team of mental health nurses by e-consult to discuss, and receive information and advice. Login to your account to take advantage of this service and many other health services, or become a member.
