Six ways to combat solitude while working on your own
If working alone has you feeling lonely, get these cost-effective, simple suggestions on how to cope when working from home.
Working alone has a lot of advantages.
It's easier to get things done generally. It's not necessary to participate in office politics. You're able to have your breaks when you'd like, whenever you'd want, and you're the sole controller of your day-to-day destiny.
But there's one really big negative that I'd like to know I'd been warned about by someone:
Even if you're the most robust introvert, working on your own -- completely alone -can be lonely.
As in, draw a picture of the volleyball, and then name that "Wilson" different levels of loneliness. That loneliness, regardless of whether it is a gradual creeping in or hits you all at once is a huge distraction from the flow of your life when you're trying to run a business.
We get it We've had to be there. We'll show you how we get around it with our six favorite strategies for coping with isolation when flying by yourself.
Let's begin.
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How to deal with isolation while working remotely
#1. Do not miss the opportunity to exercise.
Though it could sound insignificant the best way to reduce loneliness when working on your own is to include exercise into your daily routine.
Why? Nothing is more beneficial to improve your mental well-being than regular exercise.
A study published in the Front Psychiatry Scientific Journal showed that exercise reduces anxiety and releases endorphins, the results of which help produce positive feelings and reduce your sense of pain.
Loneliness is not the only reason for productivity. It can lead straight to a decline in your mental health. Its adverse effects can worsen anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and mental decline.
It is beneficial to exercise to actively take care of yourself and reduce the impact of isolation in your health.
Sadly, though, it is only 23 percent of Americans are getting enough exercising.
Based on the Department of Health and Human Services According to the Department of Health and Human Services, adults must take at the very minimum 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate intensity aerobic exercises as well as 1.25 to 2.5 hours of vigorous intensity per week.
The fact that people don't exercise enough isn't surprising. In fact, if you take a look at the sheer amount of time spent on a computer screen, it's an overwhelming twelve hours per day for adults and 60 hours and 40 minutes every day for teenagers.
You could be spending the majority of your time on a screen, and maybe even more, in the event that you're taking the time to make the time to exercise.
Do you think exercise can cure loneliness? It's unlikely. It can assist you in combating some of its worst consequences, and as in terms of preventatives, it's a cheap one.
So, get up and go. Do some dancing if you like and do some yoga that is high-intensity even if you're not.
No matter what you do, don't get caught in the trap of spending the majority of your time by squinting in front of screens. It isn't healthy, and can only increase the compounding effects of loneliness.
As does skipping breaks in general.
#2. Take regular breaks (free from all devices and screens)
When you stop to exercise, go for a walk around the block or get up and stretch, taking regular breaks between your tasks is essential, particularly when you work alone.
If you are working on your own, remote, or from home, it's easy to be captivated by the monitor without conversation at the water cooler or desk distractions by officemates and colleagues.
As you are aware, screentime is a dangerous tunnel to be caught into.
Based on a University of Illinois study, taking a break every one hour can help you be more productive by giving your brain a short break to give it the amount of time needed to recharge energy and focus.
As with exercising, it's now a common habit to not take breaks, including the lunch break.
According to research by Tork, 62 percent of millennials would take an extended lunch break If they had the chance, as in contrast to just 46% of boomers.
Additionally, 16% of young people claim they'd go as far as having a 10% pay cut instead of taking having a lunch break every day.
This figure of nearly twice the proportion of Gen-Xers and more than three times the number of boomers suggests that in our culture, we're heading towards an unending habit of avoiding lunch breaks.
All this to say, avoid falling victim to the pressures of culture that come with having to take breaks. Even though it feels as if you're achieving however, it actually causes further health problems in addition to the effects of being confined to your workstation.
You should instead take a short breaks every hour. This boosts your energy, focus, and overall efficiency.
Better yet, take it to the next level and plan some appropriate breaks- those with your friends- after the workday.
#3. Plan social activities in the evening after work
While it may not be directly related to combating solitude during the workday The third recommendation to fight loneliness is brief and sweet -- make time for yourself to socialize beyond work.
Socializing on social media doesn't count. Face-to-face calls are required regardless of whether it's an Zoom phone or in any other way.
One UCSD study discovered that face-to-face interactions improve the quality of your life, while using Facebook is likely to have a negative impact on your physical and mental health.
If you're not able to schedule a social event in between work hours, try combining some of our ideas and schedule a lunch with a friend or schedule a break during the day to go on a hike with your friend.
If you're in no position to get out-and-about on the town, you can have a virtual time, happy hour time, or cat .GIF time works equally effectively.
Either way, schedule a face-to-face social activity in your calendar, and make sure you do regular activities.
Significantly 20% of remote workers are lonely which makes it among the top struggles of working on their own (tied with collaborating and communicating).
In addition, with an overwhelming 98% of remote workers planning on continuing the way of life for the duration of their career, the isolation issue will be here for good and will only get increasingly important in battling.
However, carving out personal time to socialize isn't an easy task. There are families to tend to, pets who indulge in affection as well as a myriad of other barriers that can make it difficult to stay on top of your schedule.
There's a second possibility -online communities.
#4. Join an online mastermind or group
Our fourth way to fight solitude while working is to interact with co-workers and colleagues through a group or online mastermind.
Joining a relevant online group can be a great way to engage and build camaraderie with like-minded people.
Furthermore, it provides you with an opportunity to work with others, which has the additional benefit of boosting your motivation. You'll actually be more likely to stay focused on your work for 64% more time when you collaborate with others compared doing it on your own.
Brit Kolo, creator of Marketing Personalities, told me that joining a mastermind group is the best investment she's made in her company to date -- not only because of the expansion of the business, but also due to the lifelong friends and supportive community that it creates.
"I've grown as a person, leader and CEO. My fellow business owners who are part of my mastermind group have turned into friendships for life, and I do not say it lightly."
There are signs that point to our global need for more thought leadership similar to what you can find in a mastermind group. An HRPA study revealed that 63% of young people believe their leadership abilities haven't been improved.
The most important thing is to identify your tribe and establish a connection with them. These are relationships that you could and can nurture through live video chat.
Not coincidentally, that's our next tip for staving out loneliness in an isolated area.
#5. Leverage video conferencing
A different way to stave off loneliness while working from home is to utilize live video software to communicate to your coworkers and acquaintances.
Why video conferencing? It's effective, according to the overwhelming majority of users.
90% of users think that video conferences help them build relationships in and outside their organizations.
In addition, 96% of respondents agree or strongly agree that videoconferencing is an effective way to increase the connection among remote team members.
Even when you're flying on your own You can still rely on video conferencing to connect to other individuals on a deeper level, regardless of whether they are group members or not.
Video chat is more engaging as opposed to, for instance, a phone call or email because it adds an additional layer of nonverbal communication that's typically absent from non-face-to-face communications.
70 70% of communication is non-verbal. That means that if you're using audio or text the connection is only around 30percent of the communication at best.
It's not likely to improve on anyone's isolation -- at least at least not in the way it could be improved on in any case.
Video can also aid in your collaborative and innovative efforts. This is why, in a study conducted of LifeSize, 50% of businesses who use videoconferencing are more innovative, and 55% collaborate better.
If you're looking for free video-conferencing software, you should consider Skype , Webex as well as Zoom .
It is important to make the most of technology and use live video conferencing to engage directly with others in your day-to-day routine.
Our last tip is a step up by interacting in person with coworking spaces.
#6. Get creative with an office space for coworkers or on the outside of your home
If you're sure that it's safe one of the best ways to combat loneliness when working is to physically leave your home office and use or a coworking facility or shared office space or even a cafe.
The idea is to change your environment to include others and to be in a different location that your house. Doing so increases your chance of getting out of your lonely spot by engaging with people, and striking up conversations, even if it's a brief one by chatting with a barista.
Locating a coworking space near you shouldn't be a problem these days since they seem to be appearing everywhere.
Coworking space availability has skyrocketed to over 26,300 worldwide . Within the US only, this number is expected to increase to over 6,200 by 2022.
As for the number of members, there are 5.1 million people in the world. Global Coworking Unconference Conference (GCUC) predicted that there would be 5.1 million coworking users around the world by 2022 which is a mighty 24.2 percent growth. So far, all indications indicate that it is a true projection.
There's a lot of coworking colleagues to befriend, even if, in current circumstances, you might have to do it at the distance. Get out there (as you can) and add a few more colleagues to your address file. This will allow you to fight off the solo blues And who knows, it might be a great career opportunity.
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Find the groove you've always had
Working alone doesn't mean it's necessary to feel lonely.
It's essential to take the initiative and stop the effects of loneliness when you work on your work and personal life from the comfort of your home.
To summarize:
Take good care of your mental well-being by doing your exercise regularly. Its many benefits will boost your well-being and business overall.
Take regular breaks, too. Contrary to what some believe, they can actually help you more focused and productive.
Plan for social activities as well as meet-ups that aren't part of your normal routine. The time spent in person is required and should not be left to the back of the pack, even if you have to do it over conferencing software.
Join online communities that are relevant, such as masterminds or Facebook groups to meet other like-minded people and develop lasting friendships. Reddit and Slack communities also work for this purpose.
Improve your communications with other people by using live video conferencing tools whenever you are able to. Too much of our conversations are not verbal, and we can't rely on sound and text alone.
In the end, if it's secure to incorporate working from coworking spaces and places outside your home office into your daily schedule. Even the smallest environmental change can be a big influence on your mental strength.
As a group, we've all worked from home for a long time but the reality of the matter is that you'll not be able to completely escape the isolation which comes from working on your own.
You'll adapt, and by incorporating the strategies listed above and techniques, you'll find that working on your own doesn't have to mean becoming an island. There's still a way to be part of your community, even if you have to go further than the internet, conference calls platforms, or co-working spaces to find the group.