4 Tips to Overcoming Work-from-Home Loneliness

4 Tips to Overcoming Work-from-Home Loneliness

In 2016, there were approximately over 63 million Americans who worked from home. It’s not a new trend to ditch the traditional office and telecommute, but its popularity is on the rise. In fact, some CEO’s such as Sir Richard Branson, have never had a formal office. He works on the go and can make any place an “office.”

Many, like myself, think that working from home is the best way to work. It provides more flexibility, cuts the commute time, and can make for more productive days. I once read a statistic that people who work-from-home are usually more productive because there’s less workplace distractions (uh, tell that to the load of laundry currently staring me in the face).

While working from home has a seemingly never ending list of advantages, no one warned me of a huge disadvantage… loneliness.

Working from home doesn’t provide a lot of face to face contact; at least, not daily. A couple months in, people think it’s the most amazing thing ever. But a couple of YEARS in, some may experience extreme isolation from being home all day every day.

When I moved to Florida 5 years ago, this feeling maximized. Starting fresh in a new-to-me town with no friends and no connections was incredibly difficult in general.I didn’t even know how to go about making new friends; I’ve had most of my friendships since elementary or middle school. Even in college, new people were introduced to me through other friends.

Meeting new people wasn’t high on my priority list, because as an introvert I actually re-charge from being alone. But when you’re sitting at home and realize the only people you’ve seen in 3 weeks are the people you live with, you know it can’t be healthy.

Over the past 5 years, I’ve slowly come out of my hermit crab shell and have found that I since I don’t get my social interaction at work like some do, I needed to get out of the house, expand my network and connect with others…or as I call it, “feeling human again.”

If you’re one of 64 million Americans who work from home, or are even a stay-at-home parent who often feels isolated, try these tips out:

4 Tips to Overcome Work-From-Home Loneliness

Join a Group – Join an adult sports leagues (kickball, anyone?), a fitness groups, go to church, take a series of classes, or even volunteer for an organization. Or, if you already have a solid group of friends, schedule a trip to a theme park or take a day trip. The key is to schedule these group ventures in advance so that you’re held accountable. I’ve personally found my “mom friends” through the PTO at my daughter’s school. We schedule once a month outings to do various things without kids.
Local MeetUps – Business networking groups are great! Often times these group meet monthly (some weekly) PLUS they host numerous events. They get you out of the house, interacting with other like-minded people, and these events can open an array of opportunities for you. If you’re unsure where to start looking, check out your local Chamber of Commerce or go to meetup.com!
Work Outside the House
– If you have a laptop, a phone, or even a notebook and a pen, you can really work from anywhere. Take your work to a coffee shop, a restaurant, a park, or my favorite place…the beach! Changing your scenery can improve your state of mind (plus you won’t be focused on the laundry that’s staring at you in the face to finish).
Ditch the Email– Tone and emotion are the first things to be lost in written communication, not to mention it’s the least personal form of communication. Pick up the phone; even better, video chat! I do these often with clients. It’s nice to “see” someone’s facial expressions or mannerisms while talking to them, not to mention tone of the conversation isn’t lost. Don’t undervalue the importance of a phone or video call, they often times carry more weight and value than an email.

Working from home doesn’t always have to be lonely. Embrace the flexibility working from home provides and get out and do more!

Switch up your view, schedule your outings, and most importantly, step out of your comfort zone.

Adventure on,

Lauren

5 Things Entrepreneurs Should Invest In

5 Things Entrepreneurs Should Invest In

Start up and long time business owners alike, can often times neglect simple investments that can heighten their business without breaking the bank.

It’s easy to hear the term “investment” and automatically think of bonds, stocks, shares, etc. Sure, these are extremely valuable things for anyone to invest in but these 5 things will help you AND your business grow:

Social Media Marketing: New customers won’t come knocking if they don’t even know you exist. You have to get in front of your audience; being visible is one of the most simple ways to create buzz about your business. Develop a social media presence to connect with your target audience!

Professional Headshots: Sure you could grab a selfie stick and attempt to do it yourself; or you could invest in professional photos that align with your branding and demonstrate your professionalism. Your photos can be used on social media, your website, marketing collateral, and more. People study faces and you can’t take back a first impression; make sure your photos are of quality and represent you and your business in the truest form.

Mentorship / Certifications / Expert Learning: Learning doesn’t always have to come at a high price. Many times, you can connect with an experienced mentor to be your go-to for all things business related.. or you could also hire a coach to help grow your business and work directly with you.

If you hold a certification in a certain area, you can use it to leverage your expertise over competitors. Not all certifications are costly, in fact, some are free but do require 15+ hours of training plus an exam. Be sure to research certifications in your field!

Enhance your knowledge and learn from experts! Attending seminars and workshops are great, but you don’t even have to leave your home or office to keep up to date with industry experts. Read their books, listen to podcasts, read blogs, watch vlogs – it doesn’t matter how you learn as long as you continue to learn.

Technology: You need to keep your technology up to date. This year I invested over 3k in technology, and it has paid itself within 3 months. Don’t let the price tag of a piece of an expensive piece of technology or equipment detour you from purchasing it. Think about the value it could bring to your business; will it make your job easier? Will it help you produce better results for clients? If you answered yes to those questions, then it’s time you stop letting the price tag be your excuse.

R & R: Ahhh, rest and relaxation. If you’re not getting enough sleep or not taking personal time off to relax and devote to yourself,family,friends – you’re skimping on the BEST and EASIEST investment you can make for yourself and your business. Aim for a full night of sleep to optimize your performance and focus daily. Don’t think you have the time for a vacation or to take time off? Wrong. What you don’t have time for is a complete and utter burn out. Take care of yourself, it’ll pay off.

Painless and simple enough, right? Investing in both yourself and your business will be profitable; stop making excuses and just do it!

If you want to invest in something with minimal risk and guaranteed return, invest in yourself.

To your growth,

Lauren