6 ways to deal with solitude while working on your own
If you're working on your own and are feeling lonely, get these 6 simple, cost-effective suggestions on how to cope in a lonely work environment.
Working alone has a lot of advantages.
There is more work to be done generally. It's not necessary to participate in the game of office politics. You're able to have your breaks when you like when you like, and you're the master of your own every day life.
However, there's a really major negative that I'd like to know someone would've warned me about:
Even if you're a rugged introvert, working alone -- completely alone -can be lonely.
As in, draw a picture of the volleyball, and then name that "Wilson" levels of loneliness. That loneliness, regardless of whether it creeps into your life or strikes you all at once is a huge distraction from your flow when working to manage your business.
We get it, and we've been there. This time, we'll share how we get around this issue by sharing our top six ways to cope with solitude when traveling on your own.
Let's get started.
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How to deal with isolation while working remotely
#1. Take the time to exercise
Although it might sound like something unrelated, our first way to combat loneliness while working alone is to incorporate fitness into your routine.
Why? There's nothing more powerful for mental wellbeing than regular exercise.
A study that was published in journal Front Psychiatry Scientific Journal has revealed the fact that exercise can reduce anxiety. Additionally, it produces endorphins. This is the result of which helps you produce positive feelings and reduce your perceptions of discomfort.
Productivity aside, loneliness leads straight to a decline in mental wellbeing. Its adverse effects can worsen anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and mental decline.
Exercising is a great way to be proactive and engage in self-care, and lessen the impact of isolation on your mental wellbeing.
Sadly, though, it is only 23% of Americans are getting enough exercise.
Based on the Department of Health and Human Services Adults should be able to take at the very minimum 2.5 to five hours of moderate-intensity aerobic workout or 1.25 to 2.5 hours of vigorous intensity per week.
It's true that a lot of people do not exercise enough doesn't come as a shock. If you look at the length of time that is spent on a computer screen that's 12 hours a day for adults, and 6 hours and 40 minutes every day for teenagers.
It's true, you may be spending the majority of your time in front of screens, or even more than that, if you're too lazy to get up and take some exercise breaks.
Do you think exercise can alleviate loneliness? It's unlikely. It can help you combat some of its worst consequences, and as in terms of preventatives this is a low-cost option.
Therefore, stand up and move. Do some dancing if you like or do some intense yoga if it's not.
Whatever you do, don't get caught in the trap of draining half your day on a computer. It's not healthy, and can only increase loneliness's effects.
As does skipping breaks in general.
#2. Take regular breaks (free from all screens and devices)
When you stop for a workout or walk along the street or sit up to stretch out, taking breaks from your work is a must, especially when you work alone.
If you are working on your own at a remote location, from a home, you can remain captivated by your computer screen without the traditional drinking-in-the-water office colleagues interrupting your desk colleagues.
As you are aware screentime can be a risky tunnel to be caught in.
According to the findings of a University of Illinois study, one break per one hour helps you perform better because it gives your brain a short break to give it the amount of time needed to recharge energy and concentration.
Like exercise, it's a trending habit to not take breaks, including your lunch break.
According to research by Tork, 62 percentage of millennials would go for an extended lunch break in the event that they could, when compared to only 46 percent of boomers.
Furthermore, 16% of young people declare they're willing to accepting a 10% salary cut in lieu of having a lunch break every day.
The fact that this is nearly twice the proportion of Gen-Xers as well as more than triple the proportion of boomers suggests that in our culture, we're heading towards an unending habit of avoiding lunch breaks.
All this to say, do not succumb to the culture-based pressure of taking breaks to work. While it may feel as if you're achieving but the truth is that it causes further health problems and adds effects of being confined to the desk.
Take a breaks every hour. This increases your focus, energy, and general performance.
You can take it to the next level and plan some proper breaks -- ones with a group of friends- after the workday.
#3. Plan social activities in the evening after work
While it may not be specifically related to battling the loneliness that can arise during work hours, our third tip to fight loneliness is brief and simple -- create arrangements for social activities in the off-hours.
Socializing on social media doesn't count. You must be in person in any way, be it the Zoom call or not.
One UCSD research discovered that face-to-face interactions improve the quality of your life and improve your overall health, whereas engaging on Facebook could negatively impact your mental and physical health.
If you don't want to schedule a social event at work, you can combine some of our ideas and schedule a lunch with someone or take a midday break to go on a hike with your friend.
If you're not in a position to get out-and-about on the town, a virtual face-to-face Happy Hour, knit time or cat .GIF hour is just as good.
Or, you can schedule a face-to-face social activity on your calendar and do often.
Significantly 20 percent of workers who work remotely suffer from loneliness and loneliness, which is one of the biggest challenges for those who work alone (tied with collaborating and communicating).
And with an overwhelming 98 percent of those who work remotely intending to continue their lifestyle for the remainder of their careers, this loneliness issue is here for good and will only get more important to tackle.
We also know that carving out personal time for social activities isn't always an option. There are families to tend to, pets who indulge in affection, and a dozen additional obstacles that keep you stretched for time.
For that, there's another possibility -- online communities.
#4. Join an online mastermind or group
Our fourth way to fight loneliness while working alone is to connect with coworkers and colleagues through an online mastermind or group.
Affiliating to a relevant group on the internet is an effective way to engage and build friendships with other like-minded individuals.
Plus, it gives you the chance to collaborate with your colleagues, and this comes with the added benefit of fueling your motivation. Actually, you'll be able to stick with your task up to 64% longer in collaboration with others compared doing it on your own.
Brit Kolo, founder of Marketing Personalities, told me that joining a mastermind community is the best investment she's made for her business so far -- not just because of increase in business but also due to friendships that last a lifetime and the supportive community it provides.
"I've developed as a human being, a executive, and as a leader. The other business owners in my mastermind group have become friendships for life, and I don't say that lightly."
Signs point to the global need for more thought leadership such as you'll find in a mastermind group. An HRPA study revealed that a whopping 60% of the millennials think their leadership capabilities haven't been developed.
It is crucial to identify your tribe and establish a connection with them. These are relationships that you could and can nurture through the live chat feature.
It's also the next thing we'll do to stave out loneliness in an isolated area.
#5. Leverage video conferencing
A different way to stave away loneliness when working from home is to utilize live video applications to stay in touch to your coworkers and acquaintances.
Why video conferencing? It's effective, according to a landslide majority of users.
98% of the people believe video conferencing helps them build relationships in and outside their organizations.
In addition, 96% of respondents are either strongly or in agreement that videoconferencing can be a great way to enhance the communication between remote team members.
If you're traveling on your own You can still rely on video conference to communicate to other individuals at a higher level no matter if they're group members or otherwise.
Video chats are more interesting in comparison to, for example, a phone call or email as it adds an additional level of non-verbal communication normally absent in other forms of non-face-to face communication.
70% of our communication is non-verbal. That means when you're relying on audio or text the connection is only around 30% of the connection at most.
It's not likely make anyone feel better about their solitude -- certainly at least not in the way it can be improved upon, anyway.
Video also helps in collaboration and innovation. In fact, according to a study by LifeSize, 50% of businesses who use videoconferencing are more inventive and 55% have a greater degree of collaboration.
If you're in search of free videoconferencing solutions, think about Skype , Webex as well as Zoom .
It is important to take advantage of technology and utilize live video conference to connect in a face-to-face conversation with your colleagues in your day-to-day routine.
Our final tip takes it a step further -- engaging in-person at coworking spaces.
#6. Mix it up with an office space for coworkers or outside your home
In the event that you're able to travel an alternative way to combat loneliness when working is to leave your office in the home, and instead use or a coworking facility or shared office space or even a café.
It is important to periodically alter your surroundings to be more welcoming to other humans and be in a different location from your place of residence. This increases the chances of escaping a lonely rut and interacting with others engaging in discussions, even if only just a short one with a barista.
The search for a coworking facility near you shouldn't be a challenge these days since they seem to be popping up all over the place.
The number of coworking spaces is now over 26,300 across the globe . The US alone, the number is expected to increase up to 6,200 by 2022.
In terms of people in terms of people, the Global Coworking Unconference Conference (GCUC) predicted that there would at least 5.1 million coworking users around the world by 2022 that's a staggering 24.2 percent annual increase. All indications indicate that it is an accurate forecast.
That's lots of acquaintances to connect with regardless of the fact that, under current circumstances, you might be required to work from the distance. Get out there (as you can) and include a couple additional colleagues to your address list. It will help you fight off the solo blues, and who knows, it might even turn into a future career option.
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Find the groove you've always had
Working alone doesn't mean you're alone.
It's important to be proactive and stop loneliness from taking its toll when you work on your work and personal life from the comfort of your home.
To summarize:
Be proactive in taking care of your mental well-being by engaging in regular exercise. Many benefits can boost the overall health of your business and improve its performance.
Make sure you take regular breaks too. Contrary to what you think, they actually make you more productive and focused.
Plan for social activities and get togethers during your off time. The face-to-face time is much required and should not be left to the wayside, even it's necessary to conduct via a conference software.
Join relevant online groups like masterminds and Facebook groups to network with other people who share your interests and build lasting relationships. Reddit or Slack communities also work for the same purpose.
Improve your communications with others by making use of live videoconferencing software whenever you are able to. Too much of our communication is nonverbal to rely on sound and text for all communication.
If it's safe to work from a coworking space, consider the coworking space as well as other places away from your office into your daily schedule. Small environmental adjustments can be a big influence on your mental fortitude.
We're a group as a group, we've worked from home for a long time, and the truth of the matter is that you'll always be in a state of loneliness which comes from working on your own.
However, you'll adjust with just a few these strategies and techniques, you'll find that being on your own doesn't need to be a cause for becoming isolated. You can still have your group, even though you must travel further than the web, conference call platforms, or coworking space to find it.