5 Tips To Feel Less Lonely Working From Home

When the pandemic measures first closed down offices last year, I was fortunate enough to avoid feeling lonely working from home.

Why, you ask?

It was because I had already gone through the loneliness stage when I first started working remotely in the pre-pandemic days, a time when people still shook hands and went out to clubs.

While it’s true that some people have dealt with the ups and downs of remote work even before the pandemic, the fact is that working from home loneliness is a reality for a much larger group of people now.

A UK survey showed that younger people (aged 18-38) are more susceptible to loneliness while working from home, so you’re definitely not experiencing an isolated phenomenon.

Another issue lies in the pandemic measures that are still in place in many countries. Blowing off steam is not as easy as it was before, and you can’t exactly go out during the weekends the way you used to.

Taking all of this into account, how can you feel less lonely working from home?

Here are some tips that can help you out.

How To Feel Less Lonely Working From Home

1. Listen to podcasts

The great thing about podcasts is that they provide the illusion of office chatter, tricking your brain into feeling less lonely working from home.

Plus, they’re a great opportunity to learn something new.

Because I find podcasts to be distracting while I do my actual work, I like to listen to them during my lunch break.

It’s a great method for stepping out of work mode for a moment, allowing you to feel less burned out at the end of the day.

2. Take a walk

Constantly staring at the same walls and interior decor for days will make even the most level-headed person feel like they’re going crazy.

During the workweek when everyone is busy, it can be borderline impossible to set up dinner dates with friends to break your routine.

However, this shouldn’t stop you from actually going outside, even if it’s just for a walk. Remember, exercise helps you deal with anxiety which is often exacerbated by remote work loneliness.

3. Set up work from home dates

If you have a close friend who has also traded their office space for their living room, try suggesting working from home together.

Even if you do it just once a week, it’ll be a welcome change, especially if you live alone.

4. Share how you feel with your coworkers

Without a doubt, you’re not the only person on your team experiencing working from home loneliness. But being quiet about it won’t do you any favors.

When you share how you’ve been feeling, it opens up space for others to do the same as well without the fear of being judged.

Hearing how others have been coping with loneliness can inspire you or at the very least, validate the fact that you’re not the only one going through this.

5. Be mindful of how you spend your free time

The biggest issue when it comes to feeling lonely working from home is that it heightens negative emotions like unhappiness and stress due to a lack of social interaction.

After all, humans are social creatures. Chatting to your coworkers during the day and connecting with them over your shared challenges makes them easier to handle.

But in the absence of social interaction, we often resort to other means of distraction.

One of the worst things you could do for your mental health is to hop on social media right after signing off work. Negative content on social media can be especially harmful.

On the other hand, social media can also produce feelings of inadequacy and low self-worth when you see everyone else “living it up” while you’re stuck at home day in and day out.

Rather than turning to your phone for distractions, try to step away from screens by doing something else you enjoy. For example, I like to practice yoga, journal and read.

Yoga and journaling can be incredibly healing as well as fun, although you’ll probably feel a bit of resistance from your ego when you try them for the first time.

Regardless of which hobbies you choose, the most important thing is to use your free time in a way that doesn’t actively harm your mental health.

What If I Never Get Used To WFH?

At the beginning of the pandemic, most people rejoiced when they were told they could work from home. (With the exception of parents, probably.)

But once the novelty wore off, the majority realized that working from home isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I know that first-hand. It’s lonely, isolating, and makes it more challenging to connect to your coworkers and solve potential problems in your team.

Thankfully, I’ve found ways to mitigate WFH challenges and I perform well in this setup, although this experience wasn’t smooth sailing.

For you, however, remote work might never click and that’s okay. Hopefully, you’ll be able to return to the office soon.

Until then, keep trying different methods to feel less lonely working from home. I’m 100 percent sure you’ll find one that works!

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to be a replacement for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment by qualified medical professionals. Always seek the advice of your doctor, therapist, or other healthcare providers with any questions you may have.