The Isolation of Working From Home: How to Combat Insecurity in a Remote World

Imagine waking up not to the blare of an alarm clock, but to the soft chirping of birds outside your window. You brew a fresh cup of coffee and sit down at your desk as the morning sunlight floods your home office.

For many professionals during the pandemic, this scene became an unlikely reality as companies rapidly shifted to remote work. While the flexibility can seem enticing at first, prolonged isolation has left many remote workers feeling insecure, struggling with self-doubt and even depression.

According to a recent Harvard study, remote employees were 12% less likely to be promoted compared to those in the office, often because they were forgotten or excluded from important meetings. Psychologists explain that without daily human interaction to provide feedback and reassurance, it’s all too easy to feel marginalized, instilling a gnawing sense of self-doubt and imposter syndrome.

As shame and vulnerability expert Brene Brown poignantly wrote:

A deep sense of love and belonging is an irreducible need...when those bonds are broken, we unravel

Our fundamental need for community persists, pandemic or not.

While the isolation of remote work can certainly be destabilizing, small daily actions can help cultivate confidence and interconnectedness:

1. Set up regular virtual check-ins with colleagues. Human contact is restorative.
2. Proactively share your progress and contributions over email and chat. Don't assume others know your value.
3. Block time on your calendar for self-care activities that spark joy, whether baking, exercising, or painting.
4. Embrace video calls to pick up on facial cues and body language you'd miss over audio.
5. Develop a routine that delineates work time from personal time. Disconnecting helps maintain boundaries.
6. Remember to celebrate and savor small wins. Without an office audience, share your progress online.
7. Lean on your support network. Make time for friends and family outside of work.
8. Crave community. With intention and compassion, we can foster meaningful bonds even from afar.

What strategies have helped you feel connected during this time of remote work and isolation? Let's continue the conversation below!

Stay tuned, and we'll soon talk more about this reflects into managers and leaders.

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