5 Tips to Avoid Loneliness While Working from Home
Jake Newby
| 3 min read
Social isolation is one of the biggest challenges for remote workers. Millions of Americans began working from home when the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, and while many of us have since returned to the office, plenty of people still work remotely. After four years of the same routine, feelings of burnout are to be expected. Especially if you live alone, or your significant other works in the office five days a week.
If loneliness has become an issue for you, break up the monotony by giving these tips a try.
1. Move around.
Find some creative ways to incorporate breaks into your day. This can involve eating breakfast and/or lunch in a different room than you work in while listening to your favorite podcast. Try breaking away to grab a coffee or tea once or twice a week.
You can also consider setting 5 or 10 minutes aside to add movement to your day. Maybe that means going for a short walk after you eat lunch, which can improve your mood and lower your stress levels, especially if you have friends or neighbors to walk along side. This can also involve stretching or midday meditation to help you reenergize and focus on your last set of tasks for the day.
2. Work somewhere else at least once a week.
Switch things up by working outside of your home one day a week. Whether you take your laptop to a coffee shop, your local library or a coworking space in your town, getting away from your home office can provide a mental boost. Changing up your surroundings and perhaps chatting with a few people you wouldn’t have normally seen during your workday can make a difference.
3. Build social time into your day.
The best way to combat loneliness is by interacting with others. It’s not always easy to manufacture social time into your workday, but it is possible if you plan ahead. If you can't walk with someone during walk breaks, call your partner, friend or family member at lunch and catch up, perhaps through a video call.
4. Communicate with coworkers via video calls.
Your place of employment may mandate video calls with colleagues already, but if it doesn’t, and you have the capability, try this a few times a day. Make it a point to schedule video calls to brainstorm or discuss ideas instead of doing so through an email exchange. A bonus here is it could increase efficiency during your workday, while also cultivating a collaborative, social working environment with colleagues you may otherwise not see very often.
5. Make plans after work.
When you work from the same place you live, working hours and personal hours can start to blend. Many of us can fall into the habit of logging off our computer after our workday ends and immediately sinking into our couch to watch TV or scroll through our phones. Try setting a time to have coffee or dinner with a friend or colleague in the late afternoon or early evening. Sign up for an exercise class or yoga session or just get into the habit of going to the gym when you shut your laptop. Carving out social time ahead of time can give you something to look forward to once your workday ends and in turn, fend off feelings of loneliness.
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