You’re Not Alone: Strategies to Help Combat Loneliness

Bringing the tone down a notch!

Recently I have been experiencing an overwhelming sense of on loneliness and not really understanding why which has inspired me to write this post as I am sure that there are many other people out there experiencing the exact same feeling!

Feeling lonely in a word of full of 7,942,645,086 people! How is that even possible?

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For many self-employed professionals who work from home, loneliness is a common complaint. In a world full of people, working from home can leave you feeling isolated and leave you without any meaningful connections.

I work from home with Flynn my partner every single day. In the same house, in the same space 24hrs of every day – it can make you go a little crazy!

The pandemic had a massive impact on people’s work lives and it continues to have changed the way we work with the majority of workers working from home or hybrid working.

Loneliness can have a dramatic impact on your mental health and performance. For those who are self-employed, loneliness can be particularly harmful as there is no support or guidance from colleagues or mentors.

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But it’s not all doom and gloom! 

There are ways to cope with loneliness when working alone which then allows you to enjoy the freedoms of self-employment in spite of the feelings of isolation that come with it.

Loneliness doesn’t just effect the self-employed, it can effect anyone! Ever stood in a room full people but yet never felt so alone?

Loneliness is a common emotion that everyone will experience at some point in their life. According to recent statistics, about one in five adults feel lonely and isolated. It’s important to recognise that feeling lonely is normal and it doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you.

There are many ways to combat loneliness such as reaching out to friends and family, joining a club or organisation, or volunteering in your community. Taking the time to talk with someone can make all the difference in helping you cope with feelings of loneliness. It’s important to remember that you’re not alone and there are people who care about you and want to help.

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If you’re reading this and feeling lonely, go grab yourself your favourite snack and make yourself feel good. Put on your favourite music and dance around the house like noisy is watching. Put on a film that makes you laugh, a real belly laugh. How about going on a solo date (they are under-rated) why not try the cinema, or go to your favourite restaurant.

The importance of being able to enjoy your own company is key to having a healthy relationship with yourself and others. While it is important in life to have meaningful connections with friends, family, and co-workers, being able to achieve a balance by enjoying the time you spend alone can be equally valuable.

When you learn to appreciate your own company and have built a solid foundation of self-care habits and practices that help you feel confident in you own skin, the better equipped you will be for creating meaningful relationships with others. Learning how to appreciate solitude allows for moments of reflection which can bring insight into our lives and can help us discover who we are as individuals.

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Let’s stand up to loneliness, here are some organisations that can help people who are feeling lonely: 

The Silver Line 
0800 470 80 90

Age UK
0800 169 6565 

Mind 
0300 123 3393

The Mix 
0808 808 4994

The Red Cross 
0808 196 3651 

If you are reading this now and are experiencing feelings on loneliness, please know that you are not alone.

Bye for now Xx