Remote Working and Loneliness
Whilst remote working for the odd day can be a novelty and provide the solace of quiet, doing it day in and day out can take its toll. Even if you have others at home with you, those office interactions such as chats in the morning about what you watched on TV, the swapping of stories or talking about what you are cooking for dinner soon become something you miss.
Naturally, humans are social beings so it is important to acknowledge that remote working is likely to impact feelings of belonging and connection.
There are all kinds of small interactions that may have been taken for granted previously, such as buying a coffee or going to gym, which allowed us to stay connected without consciously trying to.
If, when working from home, interactions such as these do not take place it may have a negative effect on a person’s mental health and lead to feelings of loneliness and low mood.
To help prevent this, schedule catch ups with colleagues beyond conversations about work. It is important to still allow for time to connect socially as these will help boost endorphins, encourage positivity which can result in being more productive.
It is also important to recognise these feelings and understand that it is only natural in these circumstances for emotions to change rapidly and unexpectedly. 3 in 4 people will experience low mood or anxiety in a year, therefore, people should not feel alone or embarrassed, but rather communicate what they are feeling to someone else. If they are uncomfortable having this conversation with someone they know there are multiple charities with experts that they can talk to, including Mind.
Although feelings related to the isolation may not go immediately, interaction with others should carry on as long term this will continue to support positive mental health.
It can also seem daunting looking at a whole day when feeling lonely, therefore having a schedule that breaks down the day in to more bite-size time lengths can help. It will enable you to focus on a short term goal and more regular senses of achievement. The schedule should be inclusive of regular breaks, meals and exercise.
It is often helpful to understand loneliness from another person’s perspective, recommended is the following video from Stephen Fry regarding managing anxiety and loneliness.