Working remotely is amazing. It gives you flexibility and allows you to work from anywhere and at any time. But as beautiful as remote working seems, it has some challenges. Isolation is one of them. In this article, I will share some ways to avoid isolation when working remotely.
Loneliness can make you uninspired, unmotivated and possibly affect your productivity while working remotely. And if the isolation lingers for a while, it could affect your mental health.
So, if you are working remotely, here are some of the ways to avoid isolation and remain productive;
Read Also: How to Make Working from Home Fun
#1. Join Online Communities
One of the ways to avoid isolation when working remotely is to join an online community. Sometimes, people around you may not understand what you experience as a remote worker.
They may be in your personal life, but they don’t know how it feels to be working alone from home. So, they may not want to listen when you talk about your looming deadlines, endless virtual meetings, annoying bosses, etc.
But if you join a network of other remote workers, they can relate and share in your experience. Of course, they know what you are talking about. They are probably going through something similar.
Sometimes, your network members can come up with jokes or share exciting stories to cheer you up after a stressful day.
Even if you are finding it challenging to handle a particular project, you can always ask for ideas from your network. And they will always be happy to help. You won’t feel isolated if you are in the right communities of remote workers.
#2. Take Some Time Away From Your Home or Physical Office
As a remote worker, you must learn how to work smarter and healthier. Be concerned about your physical and mental health. Learn to take time away from your workstation, even if your schedule is very tight.
Surprisingly, taking time away from your desk can give you new ideas and inspiration. You can take a walk around your neighborhood, go for lunch with your friends, or any other activity that will take your mind off work.
One of the mistakes remote workers make is to spend the whole day thinking about projects. This is a bad work habit, and it could affect your performance.
Here are some of the reasons why you should take some time off as a remote worker;
- It helps you get inspiration and new ideas to work on the project you are handling.
- You tend to be more productive when you return.
- It gives you enough time to meditate and reflect on your personality.
- You will have enough time for your personal life.
- It helps you to reset your focus.
#3. Develop Hobbies Away From Work
One of the best ways to avoid isolation when working remotely is to develop your hobbies away from work. If you are working remotely, you may be tempted to be on your work desk all the time. Trust me, it’s unhealthy for you and your mental health.
So, try to develop a new hobby that’s not related to your job and use it to keep your mind busy. If it’s a hobby you genuinely like, you can easily avoid the isolation that comes with working from home.
It would be better if your new-found hobby doesn’t require you to spend much time on the computer. The good thing about hobbies is that they allow you to learn something new and learn new skills. It also allows your brain to decompress and think of something else.
Here are some productive hobbies that can take you away from your computer;
- Cooking
- Painting
- Hiking
- Sculpting
- Yoga
- Running
- Dancing
- Reading
- Meditating
- Knitting
- Woodworking
- Gardening,
The list is endless. Pick a hobby you are genuinely interested in, and develop it.
#4. Learn to Work Outside Your Home Once in a While
You can also avoid isolation by working outside your home office once in a while. It doesn’t matter whether you work from a coffee shop, co-working space, or home. Learn to work in a different environment every once in a while.
It’s easy; you can visit your friends or relatives or go to a place you find interesting. This will give you the feeling that you are part of a greater community.
But it’s better if you can reach out to remote workers within your city, set up a meeting, and possibly work on similar projects together.
#5. Try to Be More Positive
Sometimes, the feeling of isolation is a matter of mindset. If you developed a more positive mindset, you are less likely to feel isolated. So, instead of pondering about your loneliness as a remote worker, channel the energy to think about more positive things.
Here are tips to help you stay more positive as a remote worker;
- Discover your most productive work hours.
- Design an exceptional task-management system.
- Take time off to have fun.
- Don’t stay at home all day. Try to move out of your house once in a while.
- Make your home office conducive.
- Have a working routine.
- Set boundaries between your work life and personal life.
- Stay connected and hang out with your friends.
- Take good care of yourself.
There you go – the 5 ways to avoid isolation when working remotely. If you apply these tips, you are less likely to feel isolated when working from home. They will also make you more productive.
