When you work for yourself or at home alone it can seem like a really exciting prospect to begin with. The excitement of being able to roll out of bed and start work within minutes if you please (whatever floats your boat) is really motivating to some.

Not being distracted by others, being able to just get on with working and managing your own time and space can be thrilling.

However, when you do work from home alone, after some time it can become lonely and you may find yourself craving the interaction from others which you are now missing out on.

You may find you are seeing people going back into the office and you are staying at home feeling a bit sad that you are not getting back into the hustle and bustle of the office life. You may not even realise that this is causing you to feel a certain way, it could be subconscious.

If you know much about yourself and you know if you are an introvert or extrovert you may have an insight into yourself and get why you may feel the way you feel.

If for example you are an extrovert you may crave being around other people more than an introvert may but not always.

If you are an introvert you may love being at home alone more than someone who is an extrovert but you still want that connection from others that you don’t get when you are working at home alone.

It is important to remember that just because someone may be an introvert, it doesn’t always mean they do not want to be surrounded by people and vice versa. We all crave human connection because we are all human, we just all have different levels that we want to experience.

Our natural instincts are to be connected and a part of a group, this is the natural way our bodies and brains are wired.

Connection is key to feeling fulfilled and connected to others and the world around us. This is one of the things that has helped me in my own business so much. I connected with other female entrepreneurs online who were doing similar things to me and we began by creating an informal mastermind group. This didn’t quite work out but there were two people who I really connected with. We arranged a weekly catch up call and then continued to connect over whatsapp. Whenever we need to speak, connect, a sounding board or just to chat we are there for each other with no judgements and just a listening ear. It has been years and we have connected most weeks without fail, sometimes even daily.

Here are some things to do to help yourself if you are feeling lonely while working at home alone:

• Connect with others on zoom

If you are missing the chatter and connection of others then connecting on zoom can be a great way to keep the connections and catch up with people. If you work for a company you could do weekly catch ups with your team members if this is not something you already do.

• Join local networks

There are so many local networks to connect with people who are doing similar things to you. If you are working for yourself. Local networking can be done in person and online, it also gives you the opportunity to learn and connect with others who are on the same wavelength as you.

• Speak to people when you feel you need to connect

If you do feel the need to connect with others then do. Send your friends a message, pick up the phone and call your colleagues. Create connections with those who are doing similar things as you.

• Understand your personality so you know why you feel the way you do

When you understand your personality type and if you are more introverted or extroverted you can then understand why you may feel certain ways when you do. You know if you want to be alone it’s ok and on the other hand, when you want to connect with others you can do so.

• Speak out and don’t let it fester

If you are feeling lonely or sad then speak about it if you feel it would help. Often people find that when they speak up and share their feelings that others also admit feeling the same and no longer feel alone.

• Work from cafes / co working spaces

If you like just being around other people sometimes simple things like going to the local cafe to work from every now and then or finding a local co working space can do wonders for your creativity and collaboration. Sometimes it may not even be that you want to speak to others, but you still want to be around others and working from spaces where others are will really help with this.