Individuals who had been leading a work-from-anywhere way of life as digital nomads and remote workers before 2020 have had to cope with confinement feeling downhearted for a long time. Now, a brand new group of telecommuters — specifically those forced into it by the coronavirus crisis — are recognizing that often, working alone causes a great deal of difficulty.
Do loneliness statistics show that loneliness is on the rise?
It’s complicated, actually.
It is challenging to quantify the financial impacts of loneliness. This situation is of great importance; ‘epidemic’ and ‘public health emergency’ are often employed when talking about it. Determining exactly what loneliness entails, exploring the repercussions it has on one’s health, and concluding how much it’s worth financially proves to be quite difficult.
A meta-analysis (study of studies) published in the journal Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology reviewed 12 different studies on economic costs associated with loneliness and social isolation, and found that there’s more work to be done in figuring out the truth:
The scarcity of evidence about the economic impact of loneliness points to the importance of conducting more research to measure the financial cost and identify interventions that will be beneficial in preventing and addressing loneliness and social isolation that are worth the money.
For 2020 and the time of staying away from others, the response is not as easy as one might imagine.
Kasley Killam reports in Scientific American:
Studies have shown that loneliness has not only stayed the same but, in some cases, improved. We became aware of how crucial our relationships are when we were required to practice social distancing, which has an impact on health and life expectancy as much as bad habits like smoking and drinking too much alcohol.
Figuring out what constitutes loneliness is a major challenge. Do you feel isolated because you haven’t been able to socialize with your pals at the pub very much in 2020? Or are you just missing the beer?
What is the minimum amount of time a person needs to be without contact with other people to be considered lonely? And what medical conditions are definitely caused by loneliness? It does not appear that there are definite responses to these inquiries at this time, however we can gain a great deal of understanding from individuals’ perspectives that are shared through surveys.
What is the main cause of loneliness, and what is the loneliest age group?
The factors behind loneliness can be different for each individual, yet usually, it is related to having a bad opinion of oneself or feeling like one doesn’t deserve to receive attention and bond with other people. 2020 was distinctive in its own way due to certain parts of the world imposing lockdowns and other regulations that kept people from being able to get together, thus amplifying the feelings of isolation.
Moving to a new school, city, job, or relationship can be potential causes of loneliness. As more businesses opt for a combination of on-premise and remote working models, researching the potential impact on loneliness is essential. Having effective team-building skills and the ability to manage distributed teams across the next five years will be an essential tool for any manager. This type of ‘team development’ will involve creating links between members and teaching workers how to cope with being isolated.
When inquiring about which generation is the most isolated, the World Economic Forum seems to believe it is the millennials. The results of a YouGov survey showed that 30% of millennials often had feelings of loneliness, which was higher than the 20% of Generation X respondents who felt this way and 15% of Baby Boomers.
Can loneliness change your personality?
It is essential to be aware of this, as loneliness can modify one’s character just as one’s character can affect the probability of being lonely.
Research done by Marcus Mund and Franz Neyer from the Institute of Psychology at Friedrich Schiller University in Jena, Germany observed and measured the personalities, feelings of silence, and subjective wellness of 661 healthy adults (with an average age of 24) in the year 1995. Subsequently, 271 of these participants were tracked down fifteen years later and asked identical questions (the typical age of these respondents now became 40). Participants rated their overall health on a scale of 5, ranging from “very good” to “bad”.
In the end, the character evaluations taken from the participants when they were younger was connected to their well-being and isolation scores in their middle years; likewise, the mental and physical health scores taken in the early years corresponded to the personality measures in middle age.
It’s an interesting two-way dynamic. If you’re already feeling lonely, it’s important not to stay inactive – instead, you should make the effort to interact with other people and try out different activities. If you don’t take this step, you may end up becoming more socially isolated, which will only make you feel even lonelier. It’s a bad circle to get caught in.
Is it bad to be alone all the time?
It is not advantageous to be solitary constantly, no. But certain individuals possess an inward-looking disposition, or don’t need the stimulus of others to be successful on a regular basis.
Despite our often desire to remain busy, it is important to note that we are social creatures. Many studies focusing on hospice care have revealed that individuals who are nearing the end of their lives have a yearning for more meaningful connections and companionships, rather than more work or goals to achieve. You should put in the effort to be sure connections with people take priority and that you spend time with them regularly. It’s not essential that you be extroverted and popular, have a lot of acquaintances, or wed at a young age.
You can still be introspective and carry out your own pursuits, but you should make an effort to spend time with other people as well. Even if it is taxing, being around other people can provide you with distinct points of view and thought processes which can be advantageous to the opinions you hold.
What can loneliness do to a person?
Consequences from seclusion in the workplace can be damaging to one’s mental wellbeing.
Studies have indicated that people who are lonely tend to have higher amounts of cortisol, sometimes referred to as the stress hormone, in their system. This can set off the body’s alarm and make the immune system become vulnerable to numerous illnesses.
A research paper posted in the International Journal of Social Psychiatry looked through 88 different studies in relation to the matter and determined that loneliness plays a largely prominent role in depression. That connection could hardly be any more solid, since both loneliness and depression involve several potential contributing factors.
The Journal of Clinical & Diagnostic Research has advised to be mindful of loneliness, with it being reported by 80% of people under 18 and 40% of individuals over 65 at least occasionally throughout their lives.
5 Coping Tips for Combatting Remote Work Loneliness
#1: Stick to a Routine
Remote workers tend to prize the freedom and manoeuvrability that their job provides. Though the freedom to work from home can be advantageous, it can also create some terrible practices, such as staying in your pajamas all the time, grazing on snacks from the refridgerator when you are not occupied, or aimlessly scrolling through Facebook, which studies demonstrate is not likely to lead to any practical connection. Without a structured schedule, the solitude you experience can increase and usually ends up resulting in depression. It sounds basic, but in case you need to hear it from someone else, here are some tips on how to create a good routine:
- Set an alarm. Resist the urge to hit snooze.
- Keep your morning habits the same as if you were going into the office. Shower, dress, prepare your lunch — whatever you would do if you were getting ready for the morning commute.
- Put. On. Pants. Seriously. It’s tempting to dress comfortably (AKA, like a slob) when you don’t have anywhere to be, but dressing like you would for the office feels good and puts you in the work mindset.
- Turn on your camera. This isn’t always a necessity, and sometimes, you just need to know that all your colleagues aren’t staring at that blemish on your chin or the bags under your eyes. That’s okay. But aim to be camera-ready at least some of the time, and set those expectations with others in your video chats.
- Plan regular meetings. Sure, we’ve all heard “this could have been an email,” but it doesn’t have to be. Instant messaging and email make life easier, but they can also lead to major disconnect.
- Protect your off-the-clock time. Remote work and advanced technology means we’re always on, but we don’t need to be. Not setting a schedule for your workday can lead to blurred lines between family/personal time and on-the-job time.
#2: Rethink Your Workspace
If working from home has you feeling isolated, try changing your surroundings. While your needs may fluctuate from day to day, most remote workers fall into one of two categories:
- I need alone time. If you get your best work done when all is calm and quiet around you, make finding a private, distraction-free zone your goal. A home office is great, but you can also check out your local library where you can work in peace and quiet, even while surrounded by other patrons. Many offer study rooms and private areas with plenty of outlets and few disruptions. Best of all, when you’re able to focus and get your work done, you’ll have more time to dedicate to strengthening relationships with the people who matter, while staving off loneliness.
- I need to be around people. If you work best when in the company of other professionals, a coworking space is a great option. Many offer a communal workspace that feels a lot like a traditional office. You’ll hear the clacking of computer keys, the whirring of the copier, and friendly talk around the water cooler..
#3: Find Your Tribe
You feel a relentless sense of not fitting in when loneliness visits. This is particularly trying for solitary remote professionals who work digitally and don’t have immediate family around them.
- Social groups tailored to digital nomads. Many services now cater specifically to the needs of digital nomads, who historically have a hard time finding their community when they’re on the go. These platforms connect nomads traveling through specific locations, often offering help with accommodations and social gatherings — some even offer online dating!
- Social media groups. If you’re looking for a more professional feel, you can seek out groups on LinkedIn by industry or role. If you just want to find a group of friendly faces out there in the digital space, try searching Facebook groups according to your interest. There is a group (or dozens of groups) for any hobby, and often, real relationships can grow from them.
- Workgroups. If you work with a team of other freelancers, digital nomads, or remote workers, consider initiating an internal group to create a social outlet that grows relationships that don’t revolve exclusively around work. Suggest some just-for-fun Slack channels or a regular Zoom call where shoptalk is expressly prohibited.
#4: Work Together…Even While Apart
If you’re pining for the office yet still unable to go back (or you are a digital nomad or independent contractor without an office), there are options for recreating the hustle and bustle of a regular workplace without needing to leave the house.
- Ask your employer to implement a virtual open office. This can be easily done by dedicating a Zoom room or livestream that’s always available. Remote workers can enter or leave when they wish and work alongside their colleagues, just as they would in the office. Leaving cameras and mics on while you’re completing your daily tasks may feel a bit strange, but it’s been shown that simulating an office environment can spur productivity.
- Find a service that pairs you with a tandem work partner. Platforms like Focusmate institute 50-minute working sessions in which they match you with a random partner so you can work quietly…together. Focusmate users are required to keep their cameras on, and while chit chat is discouraged outside of an initial greeting and goal-setting conversation, users say they’re able to get their work done more quickly, while feeling connected to another human being.
#5: Make Self-Care a Priority
Being alone has more to do with oneself than the surrounding people. It’s an emotional state, not a structural one. It could be attractive to become involved in online knitting collectives, sit in loud coffee houses, or perhaps try internet dating (again); nevertheless, these activities won’t address the central issue. Mental health in the U.S. had already been deteriorating, but the pandemic caused an even sharper decrease. As the feeling of being cut off from the outside world increased, a lot of people who were working remotely started to develop nasty practices and bad methods of dealing with the situation. The aphorism that it is not possible to give when there is nothing left to give holds true. You cannot provide anything to other people unless you have enough to spare.
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