Working at home can feel lonely. One of the main reasons for this is that you are literally alone. I am at my computer, typing listening to music and there is nobody there but me. That is the essence of being alone. I like that solitude. I am alone with my thoughts. But when I am alone for too long I start to crave interactions with people. I want to be around them. I want to see familiar faces and drink coffee with adults I enjoy being around. Too much alone time isn’t healthy for me, even though I am an introvert. I need that downtime to decompress sure. But I also need to see someone other than myself so that I can get that feedback. I want to have a back and forth dialogue and get that stimulation of talking with someone.
It’s essential for me to feel connected to others and the world. I make myself leave my house during the day to take breaks from working. I am trying to find a local coffee shop where I can work, though I live in the suburbs without a car. This is challenging. But, I know everything will fall into place. I live near the train and I have good friends who have cars, so that helps. I’m also saving money and eventually I will be able to buy a car. But that’s a long-term goal. I know that having a car will open up possibilities for me and actually make me feel less lonely. When you work from home, you don’t actually have to be “home.” You can drive to a communal workspace and work with other people who also have remote jobs. The term “working from home” is actually not accurate in some ways. “Remote’ is more on point when it comes to a job that isn’t in a traditional office. I used to work with an incredible life coach named Eileen O’Grady, who I highly recommend. She asked me if I could see myself doing a full-time job in an office. I said no, and she said: “then you’re an outdoor cat.” I thought that was such a great analogy. I am definitely NOT an indoor cat. I like to be able to move freely and not work in a cubicle.
I have a good friend here and we sometimes meet for coffee during the day to take a break from working. On my lunch hour, I take a walk in the nature center nearby. There are people there that I love talking to and I am surrounded by trees, which are not people but they make me feel great! The most important thing I have to remember when working from home is that isolating isn’t healthy and makes me feel depressed. Even if I am stuck inside, I can call a friend or chat with my pals online. There’s always a way to connect with people even if I am alone.
What about you? Do you work from home? Do you find it lonely?