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.

Why Emotions Are Important For Business

Image by Gino Crescoli from Pixabay 

Some people believe that business has no place for emotions, but this couldn’t be more wrong. Emotions play a huge role in business and in the success of your business. Emotions have an effect on teamwork, customer satisfaction, manager-employee relationships, and employee retention. Plus, the brain’s emotional state affects decision making, planning and negotiating, and creative thinking. More so than this, emotions have a huge impact on the amount of sales you make, the amount of money you make and overall whether your business makes it or breaks it. 

It probably comes as no surprise that customers report a higher satisfaction rate when a staff member really seems to understand their problem. But more than customer service, this is also the same for colleagues working together as when people feel that other people understand them, they work better together and create a longer-lasting and stronger team.

It is important in business for managers and leaders to develop a higher degree of emotional granularity in their own lives, as this would give them a better command over situations and their employees. It is important to get to the heart of someone’s emotional state, as this helps avoid offering the wrong solution. Instead of fearing unpleasant emotional states at work or fearing emotions altogether, if you can accurately identify these emotions, and get to the cause, it is a significant first step to using the emotional brain to work better together.

Emotions are essential when it comes to customer service and important for teams working together, but they are also imperative when it comes to sales and marketing and ultimately making money in your business, as the more people feel, the more people buy. You only have to look at your own purchasing habits and what triggers you, to see that this is true. So, how can companies apply this to their marketing techniques to boost sales and grow profits? 

When it comes to identity building, it doesn’t matter how creative and entertaining your brand campaigns are, if you miss adding an emotional connection, your marketing strategy will likely miss the mark. According to research by Binet and Field, emotion is the key to successful marketing and campaigns that can tap into people’s emotions are almost twice as likely to result in very large business effects. Because of this study, many marketers are now interested in emotion and see it as a driver of business success. For conversion, retention, and brand building, people are coming round to the idea that seduction beats persuasion, every time.

According to a behavioral scientist, Gerd Gigerenzer, human beings like “fast and frugal” decisions. He says that they like decisions that don’t take too much time or energy, so creating positive emotion is one surefire way that a business can make itself easy to choose. Positive emotion could be as simple as using brighter colors or more smiling faces on your marketing materials because if people come away feeling good about you and your business, that will be more helpful than any single product feature.

The importance of emotion is nothing new. If you look back at human history, we mainly communicated by emotion, for example, we used grunts and grimaces which were designed to warn, scare, or win over our fellow primates. So it makes sense that emotion is still the core of marketing effectiveness.

According to Psychologist Paul Ekman who has traveled the world studying and looking for universal emotions, which are ones which every culture has in common, emotions that show up in the same way on the face, this shared emotional DNA comes down to seven core feelings which are happiness, surprise, sadness, anger, fear, disgust, and contempt.

Translating all the research into simple terms and into sales and marketing terms essentially means that the ads which are most effective, the ones who get the most click-throughs, likes, shares, and immediate purchases, are the ones which take the customer on an emotional journey—the ones that mix positivity, a few negative emotions, and even a big dose of surprise.

While the psychology of emotion is deep and complex as there are differences between types of happiness, and the way different negative emotions work are the subject of many psychological studies, it still comes down to the fact that any business can tap into the power of emotion, by remembering that the more people feel, the more people buy.

Wellness and Working From Home: 5 Tips to Live By

More of us than ever now work from home in some capacity, but it’s a relatively new thing and we’re all learning as we go. One particular thing to be aware of as a home based worker is how it can impact your health—while research shows that those of us working from home tend to be happier and have less sick days, there can be drawbacks in other areas. Here are five rules to live by. 

Keep your environment clean and organised

Keeping your home clean and organised can be fairly easy when your job is at a standard workplace—as when you’re not at home for much of the day, you can clean it and it will stay that way. When you work from home, you’re using this space much more and it can get messy. and cluttered much more easily. Staying organised keeps you in control, ensures you stay productive and on top of things. The last thing you want is to be running around like a headless chicken because you can't find what you’re looking for.

Our homes might feel like the safest places in the world, but there are lots of ways they can be bad for health—and it’s especially worth bearing in mind when your home is also your workplace as you’re there for most of the day. Keep it clean and tidy to avoid contamination, open windows to remove build ups of toxins and pollutants. Things like cooking, heating, candles, cleaning products and more can all release fumes that are bad for health which can accumulate over time. Open windows, use an extractor fan, and wash things like soft furnishings to get rid of nasties. Steamaster products can kill bacteria on things like carpets and rugs which are known to be hotspots for dirt and germs. It makes sense for all of us to keep our homes clean and tidy, but especially so when your home is also your work. 

Take regular breaks

Many people working from home work for themselves. It could be running a home business, blogging, or freelancing. While being your own boss is great, the downside is that you aren’t guaranteed a wage—your earnings can fluctuate and you need to do more than just sit at your desk to get paid. For this reason, it’s easy for home-based workers to become workaholics; you end up putting in the extra hours because you want (or need) to be earning that extra cash. The problem comes when hours and hours pass by and you’ve not moved from your desk. This can be bad for your eyesight, your posture, and your overall physique, taking regular breaks is important. 

Get some exercise

Combine taking breaks with activity—how about going to the gym or walking your dog midday? That way you get to burn some calories and clear your mind of work while strengthening your body and giving your brain a boost. At the very least, take breaks from your computer to move around and stretch but get your heart rate up if you can. Home-based work tends to be sedentary, so regular exercise can help to balance things out a little. 

Eat well

When you work away from the home, it becomes habit to put together a packed lunch. This saves you time and money compared with having to leave the premises every day, and research has actually shown that eating the same lunch each day at work can reduce stress. However, when you’re working from home, there's a lot less structure.

It’s easy to find yourself picking out of the fridge, making endless cups of tea with biscuits just because you can, and generally not sticking to a good routine. If you find it easier, meal prep during the weekend and keep things like pasta salad, rice, and other make ahead lunches in Tupperware in the fridge. Fill your home with healthy snacks like fruit and yogurt and stop buying naughty treats if you find you can’t stop eating them!

Find the work/ life balance

Finding the balance between work and life can be hard when your home is also your work. For this reason, it’s important to set boundaries. Decide which times of the day you’ll be working and stick to them. Having flexibility is a bonus and you always have the option to move your days around as needed—but for the most part, staying in a routine will help you to be as productive as possible.

This article contains affiliate links.

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!

This article contains affiliate links.

How To Stay Healthy At Your Computer Desk

Image From Pixabay - CC0 License

In business, we spend so much of our time sitting in offices staring at screens. With so much of our day spent working on computers, there are risks to our health. Several factors can contribute to this. Firstly, sitting all day, every day can mean that you are not moving about enough. This can lead to developing heart problems, as well as a risk of obesity and diabetes. Secondly, having poor posture while using a computer can lead to back and neck problems, as well as repetitive strain injuries. Thirdly, your eyesight can be affected by the use of a computer screen, and this in turn can cause headaches and migraines. Lastly, your mental health can suffer as a result of spending too much time on a computer. 

Employers and employees alike should work to diminish the risks involved in working on computers. Often issues may develop gradually over a few years, so a proactive approach is required. Waiting until you see the effects of this on yourself will mean that you have left it too long. 

Get Active

If you spend the majority of your working day sitting down, you need to think of ways to add exercise into your daily routine. If you can walk to work, do so. If you drive, try to park as far away as possible so that you need to walk to and from the car. 

Go out on your lunch break and take a stroll. Time away from the computer will be healthy for you, and you will get fresh air and exercise.  If you can walk around your office during the day, do so. Any time spent moving about is going to benefit your health. 

Posture

When you are using a computer, you need to keep your back and neck straight. Often, when you sit, there may be a tendency to slouch and let your head stoop and drag your shoulders down. Try to stretch your neck regularly, and readjust your posture if you slip. Have a look for the best standing desk. Working standing up can help to improve your posture, stretch your muscles, as well as to make your more mentally alert. 

EyeSight 

Your eyes are important. You may not notice slight changes in your eyes. However, your eyesight can deteriorate gradually over time. Get your eyes tested regularly, and if you need to wear glasses when working on a computer, you should do so. Your company may have a scheme to help with the cost of eye tests, and if they do, you should use this. 

Mental Health

Often, working at a computer can get mundane and tedious. Find ways to break up your day and look for opportunities to engage with other people, either through face-to-face meetings or on the phone. If you notice that you are feeling bored, stressed, or restless, take some time to refocus—a great way of doing this is with some mindful breathing exercises at your desk. 

This article contains affiliate links.

Looking After Your Employee's Health Is A Daily Battle

Pexels

No self-respecting business owner should ever pay less than the most possible attention to the wellbeing of their employees. Of course, as a business leader with many responsibilities to take care of, this can bring up strange images of walking around the office checking anyone isn’t too stressed out, worried, or has any personal difficulty in their lives. This would not be feasible, and likely not effective.

The best thing any business owner can do is understand that this is a daily battle, often helped with the systems put in place to prevent and cure issues when or if they occur. For example, a human resources department, well invested in, can help air the grievances of your staff, and allow them to manage their personal difficulties alongside their work. This truly matters, and in some respects is perhaps one of the most important elements of your departmental management.

If you’re even reading this article, it shows that you care about your employees, or perhaps the future people you may hire. So let us help you to that end:

Consider Office Safety

It’s very easy to view the smaller health risks and consider them over-the-top and worrying. For example, a rucksack in the walkway might signify a trip hazard, and should be removed as soon as possible. That’s normal. Many of these issues will occur like this, and so long as you and your team keep an eye on them, they can often become resolved very quickly.

Long-term rules, such as no open-top beverages near the computing equipment, can be a worthwhile policy to keep. But office safety hardly stops there. It might be that an uneven or cracked floor could lead to some nasty falls and injuries, meaning that using excellent flooring companies to gain a solid, even, level flooring is an essential investment from time to time.

Perhaps a door handle is known for coming off in the hands of your employees, and must be held in just the right way to gain access. Yet the trouble is, this is a fire door, which needs to be moved through quickly in the case of an emergency. Looking around and implementing changes like these can help you avoid any long-term statistical increase in injuries, which are just as essential to root out quickly.

Mental Health Awareness

The physical health of your staff is important, but mental health issues are often much harder to see or identify. This is why a mental health awareness day, or perhaps routine training can help your team identify issues if they occur, or at least have a safe and confidential outlet to talk about their troubles. This might also give you pause when needing to force overtime to complete an order, or coming down too harshly on someone who tried their best yet failed. Your team member aren’t wrapped in cotton wool, of course, but it’s important to ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding mental health, and all feel that they can approach you about this if needed.

A Favorable Working Environment

A solid lunch break, a relaxing and ventilated office environment, anti-bacterial hand gel stations, and a separate room to relax and eat can all lead to a favorable working environment, both in hygiene and working comfort. This can prevent your staff from burning out.

With these tips, you are certain to care for your employee’s health correctly.

This article contains affiliate links.