Why Does Working at Home Feel Isolating?

Do you miss life in the corporate office? While you may not enjoy the daily commute, the traffic, and the time it entails to get to your desk, there is no denying that a lot of people who are working from home miss the office life.

From the office supplies at arm’s reach, and banter with your colleagues to the feeling of fulfillment when your team leader praises you for a job well done, it can be ecstatic. With that, the feeling of loneliness when working remotely is a reality, it is not just butterflies and daisies.

And here are some of the main reasons why it’s possible to feel as such despite having more flexibility and time to spend the things that you love to do. 

Lack of spontaneous interactions

A lot of industries and brands ensure that the team has sufficient time to meet online for collaborations and meetings. Often, companies maintain that weekly meeting to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

But even with the presence of these online modes of communication, something still seems to be lacking. And that is spontaneous interaction. This and the familiar banter you have with your colleagues help spark up your day, make a stressful meeting less mean, and make everything seem like a joyous cup of tea. 

Everything tends to mellow down with a cup of coffee and that honey-glazed donut shared with your colleagues.  

Meantime, in the comforts of your home office,  you cannot really share the same sentiment. Sure you can Viber,  Facetime, or message your desk mate,  but there is really a hole that cannot be filled by online interactions.

With face-to-face interactions, it’s easy to just say, hey let’s get a cup of coffee. Even for that fleeting 10 minutes, you can share the sentiments, ask for advice and everything will seem to lighten up a bit.  

And while you can still have a glimpse of each other’s face during video calls, it’s easy to miss out on a smirk or a grin. There is a high level of misunderstanding no matter what app you use for online communication.    

So despite the plethora of online modes of communication like Zoom, Telegram, Viber, or Slack, there is more room for misinterpretations and misunderstandings.   

Language barriers and cultural differences can make this worse. A  lot of people might end up communicating more but not really getting what they need from each other. 

Increases stress due to lack of boundaries

Then there is the additional stress from not being able to successfully create physical and intangible boundaries between home and work. This can add up to the feeling of being isolated. There can be a lot of distractions at home that can make you feel like everything is a mess. This can significantly impact your productivity and put a dent in your mental health.

You will begin to feel that nobody understands you and you just cannot compartmentalize. A lot of people might think that it’s fancy to work at home and you must be lucky and grateful right? What they don’t know is that it entails a lot of tradeoffs if you will not be able to dedicate a specific space for work only.  

That’s why it’s crucial to assign a space in your home where you can work peacefully, away from any distractions. For most people, it can just simply, mean not being able to see their bed from where the laptop is.

Lack of technical support

Unless you have a home office with the works, this is a common struggle among a lot of folks.  There is a lot of equipment that will not fit in your home office, not to mention the cost that it entails if you decide to buy one on your own.  Not all have access to a photocopier, printer, fax machine, and scanner at home.  And even if you do, are you knowledgeable enough to do troubleshooting once technical issues and difficulties arise? 

In the office, it’s easy to just ask for a colleague’s help if the printer won’t work You can also ask the office handyman for assistance if there is a paper stuck in the photocopier. At home, you are mostly on your own. You’re lucky if your husband or a sibling can help you out, but if you live alone, it’s on you. 

Sure you can call someone, but then again, you have to carry out the troubleshooting on your own. 

You feel less valued

As you are starting to feel disconnected from workmates and colleagues, you might also start to feel less professionally valued. Especially if the company does not have a clear idea of how to bring their staff together remotely, working from home can be very isolating and frustrating.

Camaraderie, trust, and support can help one thrive better in any workplace and if you don’t get this every day can seem like a burden. With the lack of face-to-face interactions, there is a high probability of this happening. 

Less opportunities to build healthy relationships with colleagues

A lot of people connect with their workmates after their shift is over. Say, share a couple of beers, wine and dine, and even engage in a karaoke night. Some do this monthly or even more often. This builds up camaraderie and healthy relationships among colleagues.

If you are working from home already, it can be challenging to squeeze in this time since you are at home already. It can make it seem difficult to make friends, especially for introverts. 

The struggle is real but it can be overcome

There are a lot of reasons why you may start to feel alone and isolated. There are ways to get through these. But you have to make a conscious effort to mimic the healthy environment you experience in a corporate setting. While it is the brand or company’s responsibility to foster and maintain a productive and healthy online work environment, a lot also rests on your hands.