8 ways to combat remote work loneliness

When it comes to remote work, the digital nomad lifestyle is definitely here to stay. There are lots of positives about working remotely and traveling the world at the same time — the main one being that you can do both at once.

Workers across industries are embracing flexible work arrangements and telework programs as ways to reduce their commute time and get out of their house more often.

Working from home can be difficult, especially if you’re used to going into an office every day with colleagues around you. Remote workers must find ways to stay connected and productive regardless of where they are.

Time away from the office doesn’t have to mean being disconnected from your team or company. Fortunately, there are many ways to combat isolation and loneliness while working from home or another remote location.

1. Have regular check-ins with your team

Even if you work in a distributed team where you rarely get to see your coworkers in person, you should still have regular check-ins with your team. These catch-ups are a great way to stay connected with your team and can be especially important if you work remotely from the rest of your team.

You could try weekly team meetings over video, check-ins over Slack or even every once in while in person. 

One benefit of regularly connecting with your team is that it can make you feel less isolated, even if you work remotely. It also gives you an opportunity to address any issues that may be affecting your productivity or happiness. 

When you get together with your teammates, they’re not just getting to know you as an individual – they’re also getting to know each other. Regular meetings are a great way to build trust and foster collaboration among all team members, regardless of where they’re located.

2. Meet up with fellow remote workers

If you work remotely and find yourself feeling lonely, consider getting together with some other like-minded, digital nomads. You could try forming a virtual meet-up or virtual coworking group with others who work remotely. 

You could use online forums or social networking sites to find others with whom you’d like to meet. If you work for a company, you could ask your manager if your company organizes remote meetups or social gatherings. If your company doesn’t, you could try organizing one yourself, or encourage others to do so.

3. Stay productive with digital tools

If you work remotely, there are many tools you can use to stay connected with your team. If you work in a collaborative field, you may want to use a tool like Google Drive to share and edit documents with your team members. 

You could use project management software to help you keep track of your tasks and monitor your progress on various projects. 

Some companies even encourage remote workers to use virtual reality (VR) headsets  to stay connected with their team. With VR, you can video conference with others as if you are all in the same room, but without the travel time and expenses of actually meeting in person. 

One thing to keep in mind is that you may want to avoid using digital tools to stay connected all the time. Try to have regular meetings in person or over video, and avoid spending too much time staring at your computer screen.

4. Take advantage of video conferencing tools

With remote work, you’ll likely have to deal with occasional or periodic feelings of loneliness and isolation. When that happens, try to keep a positive mindset and remember that there are many tools you can use to stay connected with your team. 

If you work with a team or clients across time zones, you can use tools like Zoom or Google Hangouts to conduct video conference calls at any time.

5. Identify reasons for loneliness and isolation

If you feel uncomfortable while working remotely, it’s important to identify the cause. If you’re feeling lonely and isolated, you may want to limit your time spent alone and find ways to get more social interaction in your life. 

It may be helpful to schedule time to talk to friends and family more often or join a club or volunteer.

6. Utilize break times to get some air

If you work for a company that has regular breaks, you might find it difficult to take breaks while working remotely. You also may find it tricky to take breaks during a typical workday if you work remotely but don’t have set hours. 

In a standard job, you might be able to take a quick walk around the block during your break. Working remotely, though, you might not have a nearby break area where you can get outside and clear your head. 

You might feel less pressure to break outside of your home office. Try scheduling breaks into your calendar, even if you don’t have set hours and don’t work for a company that enforces them.

7. Participate in company events

Make it a habit to attend any company meetup, team building activities or even team dinners. These are great for networking but even more so they’re a chance to relax, laugh and connect with your coworkers and maybe even meet new people.

8. Put in effort

Working remotely can be a great lifestyle choice for many people, especially those who are looking to reduce their carbon footprint. But it can be a challenging experience, especially if you’re used to working in an office environment. 

Stay connected with your team by having regular check-ins and meetings, using digital tools to stay in touch, and taking advantage of video conferencing when needed. 

If you feel like you’re suffering from loneliness or isolation while working remotely, identify the cause and try to find ways to combat it. You can stay connected and productive while working remotely if you put in the effort and make it a priority.

 

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