4 Ways To Overcome Loneliness in a Remote World

by Nov 2, 2022

Written by: Suzzane Dickman-Perla

 

When the world first went into lockdown a couple of years ago, I was thrilled with the idea of working from home.

Finally! No more waking up at 5am to make the two-hour commute to work. I could wear what I wanted and spend as much time as I desired with my furkids. 

It took me exactly 1 ½ months before loneliness kicked in. I felt trapped, isolated and depressed. I missed face to face interaction.

Unfortunately, Malaysia continued to be in a state of lockdown for close to two years and by the time offices started opening up, I’d made my move to California and so continued working for my (former) employer in isolation.

To top it off, I was also doing this at night as I was supporting my team in Asia Pacific and Europe.

The only interactions I was having at the time were with my two cats and dog. This went on for three months and I was soon on my way to adding barking and meowing to my list of spoken languages.

Despite it all, I learned a thing or two about managing remote work.

 

Here are four tips to overcome loneliness in a remote world

1. Establish Firm Office Hours & Set Boundaries

One potential pitfall of working from home is allowing your work time to bleed into home time and it can also be easy for people who work from home to get easily distracted and start surfing social media or completing chores around the house.

To make sure you and your team stays on task, establish firm office hours and do your best to stick to it. 

It’s also a good idea to set ground rules for other people in your household and make it clear that just because you’re home doesn’t mean you’re free to run errands or provide rides. 

2. Dress for Work

If you are dressed for bed, your brain will think it’s bedtime,” writes The Guardian’s fashion expert Hadley Freeman.  

A party dress may be taking it too far, but by waking up, taking a shower, eating breakfast and getting dressed, it may be easier to transition into a work state of mind. 

3. Stay Connected

One of the first things that truly impressed me when I joined Civility Partners was the mini “virtual office” they created using Google Hangouts.

It’s an open, safe virtual room where we come and go as we please for lunch, meetings, or if we just need some time to get something done.

It made me feel like I was in the office with my colleagues and we talked about everything and anything under the sun.

This fast tracked my onboarding and boosted my productivity. Can you believe it’s only my second month with the team?! 

I also notice it makes things easier when it comes to mental health and well-being.

Because we’re together all day (often not really talking at all because we’re working) those spontaneous conversations happen often, and the sharing has gotten deeper over time.

The deeper sharing equates to deeper feelings of support by my new team.  And lastly… (but certainly not least)…

4. Create a Dedicated Work Space

This is one of the hardest parts, especially if you live in a small apartment like me. If you have an extra room, a guest room or a large dining table or counter, you’re in luck.

If space is not on your side, invest in a small desk or writing table. Set up somewhere in your space where you can be free from distractions (TVs, loud noises…etc…).

I call my little work area my “Productivity Lounge”. When I sit here, my phone is silenced and I give 110% of my attention to the task at hand. 

I hope these tips will help you and your team make the most out of your work from home set up. 

Overcome loneliness in a remote world. Remember to stay connected with each other and always prioritize you and your team’s mental health and well-being! 

 

Wishing everyone an awesome November, 

Suzz & the Civility Partners team

 

Let’s create a plan to build a positive workplace! | Invite Catherine to speak | Check out our webinar library

Civility is the platform for organizational success—it is absolutely necessary for an organization to reach its goals. Download our Ebook on Seeking Civility to learn more on how to create a workplace free of bullying and abusive conduct.

 

About Catherine Mattice

Catherine Mattice, MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP is President of consulting and training firm, Civility Partners, and has been successfully providing programs in workplace bullying and building positive workplaces since 2007. Her clients include Fortune 500’s, the military, several universities and hospitals, government agencies, small businesses and nonprofits. She has published in a variety of trade magazines and has appeared several times on NPR, FOX, NBC, and ABC as an expert, as well as in USA Today, Inc Magazine, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur Magazine, and more. Catherine is Past-President of the Association for Talent Development (ATD), San Diego Chapter and teaches at National University. In his book foreword, Ken Blanchard called her book, BACK OFF! Your Kick-Ass Guide to Ending Bullying at Work, “the most comprehensive and valuable handbook on the topic.” She recently released a second book entitled, SEEKING CIVILITY: How Leaders, Managers and HR Can Create a Workplace Free of Bullying.

Free Webinar: Unlock Your Managers’ Leadership Potential

Being good at your job doesn’t make you good at managing people. You know this.  You also know the outcome when an individual contributor moves to a manager role without receiving the right training – a struggling team, unclear expectations, conflict, disengaged...

5 Tools for Pitching Culture Change to Leadership

You already know that a strong culture leads to engaged employees, lower turnover, and a healthier bottom line, but convincing leadership? That’s a different story. It's exhausting pushing for changes that are dismissed as “soft skills” or shot down because they don't...

Why leadership’s ‘Hands-Off’ approach to culture is costing you more than you think

Picture this: you’re actively working to foster a positive workplace culture, but managers and leaders are adopting a 'hands-off' approach. At first, it seems harmless, even convenient—but beneath the surface, it's quietly wreaking havoc. Top talent? They're slipping...

Elections and Leadership: 3 Ways Your Reaction Can Impact Your Team

Election season tends to bring division and tension, and it’s hard to avoid. Even if you’ve reminded your team to steer clear of political conversations at work, it’s likely that the topic will still pop up here and there. The truth is, having employees with different...

You Have It All Wrong: 4 Ways Employers Can Successfully Influence Well-Being

Did you know that the World Health Organization (WHO) classified burnout as an occupational phenomenon? In other words, while leaders and HR tend to classify burnout as a personal failing, as evidenced in the way they tackle it with offerings of gym memberships and...

5 Tips You Haven’t Seen for Engaging Hybrid And Remote Workers

According to Forbes, one in five workers is working remotely and 98% of workers want to work remotely at least some of the time. Yet, despite the flexibility that hybrid and remote work offer, engagement is a major challenge. In fact, the 2023 State of Remote Work...

Measuring Onboarding Effectiveness: Key Metrics for Success

Having an employee orientation program is a great start. It usually involves getting paperwork signed, introducing new hires around the office, and providing some initial training. But are you truly onboarding your employees? Effective onboarding is more than just a...

Measuring Recruiting and Hiring Success: Key Metrics to Track

In the past, recruiting was often a "spray and pray" approach—posting job openings everywhere and hoping the right candidate would find their way to us, even faxing over their resumes. Thankfully, recruiting today is far more strategic, thanks to the internet and...

HR Ninja-ing: 9 ways to impact culture with $0 budget

Workplace culture is an uphill battle when the budget is tight or, worse, nonexistent. You’re expected to create a thriving, engaged workforce, but the reality is harsh: Gallup reports that only 32% of U.S. employees are engaged at work. Meanwhile, disengaged...

It’s Labor Day: Are you celebrating your workers or burning them out?

This last Labor Day should have been a day of rest—a chance for employees to recharge and reflect on the contributions they’ve made to their organizations. But for many workers, the reality was likely far from relaxing. A 2023 Gallup survey shows that only 32% of U.S....