How To Beat Loneliness Working From Home [7 tips]

As an introvert, I didn’t think I’d experience loneliness working from home.

Whilst doing my placement year at university, I remember my colleagues would arrange a whole host of after-work activities.

But by 5 pm I’d feel socially drained and would look forward to going home and being in solitude to recharge for the next day. My fellow introverts will be able to relate!

Just before I finished university and was thinking of becoming a freelancer I envisioned myself as a digital nomad! I thought I’d travel the world whilst meeting a range of different people.

When I started freelancing, my typical day would involve: commuting from my bedroom to the dining room, working during the day into the late evening before going to sleep. Doing this day after day 7 days a week quickly began to take its toll.

Working from home became very lonely.

If you’re reading this, the chances are, you typed: “loneliness working from home” into Google. If so, you’re definitely not alone! Many remote workers experience loneliness.

In fact, according to a study by Buffer in 2018, 21% of 1900 freelancers and employees stated that loneliness is their biggest struggle with working remotely.

If you’re working from home and have noticed feelings of loneliness creeping in, it’s essential that you tackle it. Loneliness has been listed as one of the potential triggers of depression by the NHS.

So without further ado, this post will outline how to beat loneliness working from home.

1: Don’t work in silence!

When working from home, don’t work in complete silence.

Now I know what you’re thinking – how will background noise help me to not feel lonely?

I thought the same until I tried it!

I find it difficult to work whilst listening to music. However, listening to YouTube videos with people talking about an interesting topic in the background actually helps to improve my concentration whilst also helping to reduce loneliness when working from home.

If the video I put on lasts 30 minutes, I’ll set myself a challenge to see how much I can get done in that time frame, which keeps me motivated!

I put this at the top of the list because it’s easy to action! Next time you’re working from home, put on a chatty YouTube video or a show that you like in the background and see how you find it!

2: Don’t make yourself stir-crazy

If you’re not careful, working from home can begin to feel like you’re being imprisoned.

This is likely to be the case if you go several days in a row without leaving the house.

I’m definitely a homebody. But I quickly realised that not leaving the house for a prolonged period of time is not healthy at all.

Even if you don’t have anywhere to go and you are super busy ensure that you leave the house every day.

This might involve taking a short walk, going to the corner shop or going to the park.

Along the way, you’ll interact with people even if you exchange smiles with a complete stranger, or say hi to a familiar face from your neighbourhood.

3: Don’t work in solitude every day

If you have team members that are local to you, try to meet up with them on a weekly or a regular basis.

If your team are remotely distributed, you could have them on a Skype call in the background whilst you all get on with your work. Doing this will help you to feel more connected to your team.

Every now and again you can chat about work, just as you would if you were in an office. I used to do this when I was studying with my classmates which made studying more enjoyable.

If you have friends who also work from home or freelance, try to meet up with them and work together. Whilst you won’t speak much with them during the day, you can have a catch-up during breaks.

4: Do go to co-working spaces or coffee shops

As well as implementing the tips above schedule in a few days each month to work from a co-working space or a coffee shop.

If you start to experience loneliness working from home, simply pack up your laptop, your charger and anything else you need and head to a public workspace.

Going to a co-working space is a great way to meet other freelancers.

If you don’t want to pay for a long-term membership at a co-working space, some co-working spaces offer day passes.

Alternatively, you can work from hotel lobbies, cafes, pubs, libraries and other spaces sometimes for free!

Being around others will help to reduce loneliness.

5: Do maintain your social life

It is extremely important to maintain your relationships.

Set aside time each week dedicated to maintaining (or building) your social life. This will involve catching up with friends and family members over the phone or in person.

Be strategic when it comes to scheduling time to spend with friends and family. If they work full-time in an office, for example, organise your time to fit their schedule.

Whenever you are facing challenges or experiencing loneliness working from home, don’t keep it to yourself.

Remember, a problem shared is a problem halved!

6: Do go to networking events

Going to networking events might be a bit daunting at first. The more events you go to, the more comfortable you’ll feel.

Attending networking events will help you to meet new people and get some social interaction. Even if the people you connect with don’t end up being clients, conversing with people in different industries is a good way to improve your commercial awareness.

In order to find networking events use sites like Eventbrite or Meetup and join Facebook groups.

7: Do Take phone calls

Sometimes making phone calls can save you time.

Rather than sending a chain of emails back and forth, pick up the phone and have a chat.

Summary

If you start to feel lonely whilst working from home, implement the 7 tips above. Don’t stay alone in your home office for several days in a row without social interaction. It’s really important for your mental health to maintain your relationships.

Don’t forget to check out our other posts here at Resources for Freelancers!