How to Stop Feeling Lonely Working from Home as a Freelance Writer
Are you feeling lonely working from home as a freelance writer? You are not alone.
We tend to talk about the benefits of being a freelance writer. There are so many amazing sides to freelancing! But there are also difficulties. Loneliness and isolation are just some of the issues many freelancers face.
Today, I want to talk about how to stop feeling lonely working from home as a freelance writer.
Why are You Feeling Lonely Working from Home?
Becoming a freelancer is supposed to be amazing. So why are you feeling lonely working from home?
There are so many benefits of freelancing. You are your own boss. You can choose clients and projects that you love. You can work in your passion zone. You can set your own schedule. You can work part-time and earn a full-time income. You can work in your pajamas or workout clothes. You can work from coffee shops or from your balcony. You can travel and take your work with.
And: you don’t have to deal with annoying co-workers.
But you may end up feeling lonely working from home. Yes, you don’t have to deal with annoying co-workers. But you also won’t have cool co-workers. You will be your own boss. But you will be your only co-worker: the cool one and the annoying one in one! (Furry co-workers don’t count.) You won’t be having coffee breaks or lunch together. Water cooler conversations may only happen in online groups with strangers.
Yes, even if you are an introvert, you may end up feeling lonely working from home.
Sure, we are not alone. Since 2020, much of the world has started working online. Many others are feeling isolated working from home. But it’s still different working from home for a full-time job than working for yourself as a freelance writer. Your work-at-home corporate friends may be getting burned out on zoom, chatting with their co-workers on slack, and juggling their 9-to-5 schedule from home. Many of them have transitioned back to a hybrid or full-time office, in-person setting again.
For freelancers, working from home or on the road is the way of life. We don’t hang out on Zoom much and don’t chat with our co-workers (ourselves) all day. This has so many benefits. But feeling lonely working from home can lead to depression, anxiety, social anxiety, and other mental health issues. So how to stop feeling lonely working from home?
How to Stop Feeling Lonely Working from Home as a Freelance Writer?
Here are my tips on how to stop feeling lonely working from home as a freelance writer.
Spend Time Outside
I can’t emphasize the magic of nature. Spending time outdoors and connecting with nature offers huge mental health benefits. Feeling cooped up inside can get old quickly. Break your day off by going outside for a walk or a run. You may just sit outside for a moment feeling connected to your surroundings.
Exercise
Exercise is good for your health on so many levels. It is incredible for your mindset and your mental health. I can’t tell you how much better I feel after my runs. When I am running or walking outside, everything feels more clear and happy. Exercise can improve depression, anxiety, fatigue, and loneliness working from home. As a bonus: you may even get an exercise buddy to connect with someone.
Change Your Surroundings
Instead of working from home from your office (or your couch), change up your surrounding. Move to another room — or another couch, bed, or table. Go to a coffee shop. Work from the library. Move to your balcony or a park.
Consider a Co-Working Group
If you are feeling lonely working from home, you may want to consider joining a co-writing or co-working group. Writing with other people over Zoom felt silly to me at first. But I recently joined a co-writing group and it has been transformative. We chat for a few minutes about our goals and check in at the end but for the most time, we are just writing together, from different spaces, with the ‘zoom room’ open. It’s awesome.
Do Something Outside of Work
Stay connected with friends — through online means if necessary. Break off your day by calling a friend or chatting with a fellow writer online. Try a hobby to recharge. Take a class. Find an activity where you can connect with people — offline or online.
Are you interested in creating a sustainable freelance writing business without the hustle? Check out my freelance writing course with a step-by-step process of exactly what you need.
Do you have any other tips? How do you prevent feeling lonely working from home? How do you connect with yourself and others as a freelance writer?