Thread by @RemoteTools

Tackling remote loneliness with 150+ years of combined experience 🚀

Excerpts from experienced remote workers 👇

Share your experience - remoteclan.com/s/0zg4jb/how_d…

#remotework #loneliness

@madebydusk, who's worked remotely for 20 yrs, finds it helpful to rent a hot desk at a coworking space, go to a cafe, meet up with friends or go for a run.

"Just getting some fresh air can help."

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Alda, who's worked remotely for 11 yrs, feels introverts can fall in the trap of being home for days working and not interacting with anyone in person.

"I've been trying to structure my day into blocks and even scheduling time for daily entertainment"

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@himvais says, "We are biologically social creatures & offices provide us with a great way to socialize while working & making a living."

For him, being outdoors, prioritizing mental health & family while including socializing into routine did the trick.

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@teresamdouglas feels that the worst thing is that people can't organically notice when you're struggling.

She recounts an incident with a boss who wasn't particularly supportive and says she would handle the situation differently today.

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Jacqueline, the CMO of @workplaceless advises remote workers to set boundaries and communicate those to your team. She blocks her days based on working hours as well as based on chunks of time to accomplish deep work.

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Gabriel, growth marketer @v2cloudWaas, who's worked remotely for 1.5 yrs, says, "You can have virtual coffee breaks, team meetings, 1 on 1 chats, but it’s not the same thing as drinking a beer with your work friends before leaving for the weekend."

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Boris, co-founder of @remotemore emphasizes the need to be proactive when it comes to socializing – both at work and outside of work.

"I’ve learned that only when I keep this in mind and socialize intentionally, everything functions the way it should."

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@justirma, who's worked remotely for 3 yrs, tries solving isolation by getting out of the house, but still misses in the in-office, whiteboard collaboration.

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@thepva says:

"The biggest problem with remote work is the loneliness. I’m not an extrovert but I do love people and miss interactions. This primarily drove my decision to travel the world with a group of other remote workers."

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@cotealexandra11 feels that the only negative to working remotely is the fact that she can go days without leaving the house when too busy.

"Simply getting some fresh air and sunlight after that makes you enjoy all the little things."

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@calvin_rosser also talks of his struggle with creating separation from work. After 4 yrs, he still often finds himself working at ten or eleven at night and hasn't yet found a good way to shut off entirely.

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@malimirkeccita has the following advice for every remote worker:

- Find yourself an office/ co-working space,
- Spend some time to make a work schedule, and
- Limit working from home to a minimum

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@mlauracunha, a remote worker for 5 yrs, says, "Without a strong support network, not having that default social life from the office can make it quite lonely, especially in a new place where you don’t know anyone."

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@abrewing, with 10 yrs of remote working experience under the belt, encourages everyone to make time for fostering community and self-care while working remotely so as to avoid the negative impact on physical and mental well being.

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@bigal123 has been successful at avoiding loneliness by being proactive about meeting others in his co-working space, attending meetups, and joining online communities that have similar professional interests as him.

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@emilieschario remembers her initial struggle with isolation. She now goes to the gym, gets social interaction & self-care regularly.

"When I start my day with a workout, I start the day by feeling accomplished, & I think it translates into better work."

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@andriyhaydash started working remotely 3 yrs ago. Although it was tricky initially to not have anyone to talk to, he has become accustomed to it and now loves it.

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After 22 yrs of working remotely, @scottpdawson still struggles with loneliness and isolation. He says, "I find that during times when my family is not around, I have to be far more intentional about making plans with others, and practicing self-care."

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@jma245 also finds 'hermit mode' challenging, being an introvert and having everything delivered to her doorstep. She puts in conscious effort to push herself in that regard.

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@rwilcox, having worked remotely for 15 yrs, finds the COVID-19 reality particularly tough. Before this, he would get out of the house at least thrice a week to deal with the isolation.

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@benbreckler, an introvert, had to adjust to actively choose to be social, schedule events, and movement or exercise to stay healthy.

"I had to learn what my body and mind needed in order to stay productive while working remotely."

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@siddhantgoel also advises to make arrangements accordingly so as to avoid isolation. He gives an example of planning enough “out-of-home” activities so you’re not stuck at home all the time.

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