Workplace Loneliness: What to Do When It Becomes Too Much

Being alone in a home office or working in a physically-isolated position at a company can get lonely. While social interaction might not be something that you desire every moment of every day, being isolated at work can be problematic to your health, increasing the chances of a heart attack or stroke by a shocking 30 percent.

For your best health, here’s what to do when feeling overwhelmed by feelings of loneliness.

Start by Saying Hello

If you’re in an office where everyone keeps to themselves, it can sometimes feel like no one likes you. But look around, and that’s probably not the case; instead, it’s far more likely that no one says hello or makes small talk, no matter who it is.

To start being part of a positive change, say hello in the morning to those whom you pass in the hallway or within your department. While it might seem unnatural at first, it will get easier the more you do so. Plus, they’ll likely start to say hi too, and soon it becomes commonplace. That small interaction can help you feel less isolated.

Work from an Office Away from Home

While home-based offices are convenient as there’s no morning commute and you can set your hours, working at a hot desk can provide you with social opportunities and chances to network that might not otherwise be available to you.

It could be that a person you come across in the new environment is someone who can help you to solve a problem you’re having with a project, for example. Or, they might end up being your partner in a new organization one day if you get along well.

Join in Activities

Find out if your company offers any recreational activities, such as a sports team. If so, you could participate, and that’s a great way to get to know others who are in your office, but you haven’t spoken to yet.

Alternatively, if you work alone at home, why not see if there are community groups for entrepreneurs like yourself? Meeting monthly with others who have a similar job environment can stave off feelings of loneliness and provide a common conversational topic as you grow new friendships too.

Add Noise

Finally, if you work on your own, then why not add some background noise to make it feel less alone? There are many options here.

Perhaps you put on a TV show in the background. Alternatively, some music from YouTube. Choose songs with positive messages or fast tempos to energize your workspace.

Social Media Time

Schedule in some social media time too. Sending a message on Facebook or looking at what’s trending at Twitter helps you keep a connection to the outside world.

If you make plans through social media for later that same day, then you have something to look forward to later. And that can help motivate you during the day.

Dealing with Workplace Loneliness

Rather than thinking that you must sit in silence, make the job more interactive by reaching out to coworkers with a “hello” or joining in social activities. If you don’t have coworkers, then get on social media now and then or add background noise. Loneliness doesn’t have to be a constant in your life.

Mindfulness For The Entrepreneur

When you’re responsible for everything within your business, and there are a million and one responsibilities on your shoulders, there is a certain amount of stress that comes with the territory. But if you’re working with a glass half empty view, you’re really not going to be getting the best out of the time you spend working. It’s essential to take care of yourself first, and then your business will thrive naturally.

Photo by Martin Dawson on Unsplash

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is basically the art of being mindful, present in the moment, and sometimes even being in a meditative state. Small doses of mindfulness can have huge benefits, and there are plenty of studies that show that mindfulness improves your mental health, if practiced regularly, it can even lower your blood pressure. 

So how can you add mindfulness to your day without spending a lot of time that you really don’t have? 

Wake up and meditate

When you wake up, the first thing to do is NOT pick up your phone and check your emails. It’s tempting, but leave the phone out of reach, meditate for a little while and clear your mind. Starting the day in a calm, relaxed, and peaceful state will guarantee you an excellent start to the day!

When it comes to when exactly you can use mindfulness during your morning routine brushing your teeth is a good start. You can count while brushing, clear your mind, focus on the minute details, and think about nothing else. See? It doesn’t even need to take you extra time, just focus on what you’re doing and you’ll have some more space in your mind for the rest of the day’s activities. 

One step at a time

It’s advisable to start the whole mindfulness journey a small step at a time. Take the pressure off yourself at first, and if you find it tricky to focus to begin with, that’s normal. The beauty of mindfulness is that you can practice at your own speed and in your own time; there are apps you can get that will help you build-up to the right level for you, so utilise them and start benefiting from the many positives this practice will bring to your personal and working life!

Make space

Once you’ve started adding mindfulness into your day in small doses, you will start considering a regular time to sit and practice mindfulness. Maybe leave the office behind with yourvirtualofficelondon.co.uk virtual office address, and go for a walk once a week?

Take a co-worker or friend with you and work on being mindful together, breathing techniques and ensuring you work towards clearing your mind will give you much more space and time to build your business. 

That’s it, there’s not a lot more to it than taking a little time and learning some simple techniques, just a small act which will have fantastic results on your overall happiness and success! Don’t forget that when you find yourself a little more stressed than usual mindfulness is always an option, take five minutes and reset yourself, any time of the day!

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