{"id":471727,"date":"2026-02-11T00:46:15","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T00:46:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/471727\/"},"modified":"2026-02-11T00:46:15","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T00:46:15","slug":"how-to-reduce-loneliness-while-working-remotely","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/471727\/","title":{"rendered":"How to reduce loneliness while working remotely"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a post-COVID era that has allowed flexible working arrangements to flourish, more of us are enjoying the freedom of not having to go into the office every day.<\/p>\n

For many of us it’s a chance to don our comfy pants (or pyjamas, no judgement), and more easily tackle the daily juggle of work, school runs and never-ending chores.<\/p>\n

But like most good things, there’s a catch. Working remotely can also feel incredibly isolating.<\/p>\n

The spontaneous human interactions that brighten our workdays can become elusive, or worse, non-existent.<\/p>\n

The loneliness ailment<\/p>\n

The impact this has on our work and personal lives might be more profound than we realise.<\/p>\n

According to Michelle Lim, associate professor, psychologist and CEO of national research organisation Ending Loneliness Together, loneliness can lead to poor mental and physical health.<\/p>\n

“Being lonely can make us feel less creative, less motivated and more likely to become sick.”<\/p>\n

Dr Lim says nearly one in three Australians feel lonely at any given time, and one in six feel that way persistently.<\/p>\n

“Feeling lonely at work can be a distressing experience,” she says.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Michelle Lim says loneliness can lead to poor mental and physical health. (Supplied: Michelle Lim)<\/p>\n

Dr Lim also notes that people can still feel lonely in a workplace with colleagues around.<\/p>\n

“Sometimes we may not relate to people we work with and that can lead us to feeling socially disconnected.”<\/p>\n

Researcher Dinethi Yasodara Jayarathna is investigating wellbeing among hybrid workers for her PhD at the Psychosocial Safety Climate Global Observatory at the University of South Australia in Adelaide\/Tarntanya.<\/p>\n

“Workplace loneliness is an interesting area that we don’t touch much, it’s about the lack of quality relationships with colleagues,” Ms Jayarathna says.<\/p>\n

She says isolation and “invisibility” are common themes for people working remotely.<\/p>\n

“Hybrid employees described feeling overlooked, forgotten in meetings, and left out of casual chats that once made them feel like part of a team.”<\/p>\n

So, what can we do about it?<\/p>\n

Connection and consistency<\/p>\n

Even though we can’t gather around the water cooler for some casual banter when working remotely, we can still fill our cups virtually.<\/p>\n

\"Woman<\/p>\n

Experts say there are simple but effective ways to tackle loneliness while working remotely. (ABC News: Kim Lam)<\/p>\n

The experts say the keys to staving off loneliness are connection and consistency.<\/p>\n

Chat threads, phone calls or, better yet, video calls are great ways to stay connected.<\/p>\n

If you get on well with a colleague, consider using these technologies to share a coffee break together, allowing you both to socialise and recharge.<\/p>\n

“A 10-minute call [can give] both of you energy,” Ms Jayarathna said.<\/p>\n

Dr Lim says meaningful contact needs to happen routinely.<\/p>\n

“We need to do these things not just as a tokenistic way of reaching out, but more embedded into the work routine.”<\/p>\n

Ms Jayarathna also suggests hosting a weekly or fortnightly social catch-up, which could include religious celebrations and other cultural events that bring people together.<\/p>\n

“I saw a big difference when these different cultural events took place within companies \u2014 it helps people get connected,” she says.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Dinethi Yasodara Jayarathna is studying wellbeing among hybrid workers. (Supplied: University of South Australia)<\/p>\n

As well as juggling her PhD, motherhood and working from home, Ms Jayarathna also spends time in Sri Lanka where she is a senior lecturer at the University of Kelaniya.<\/p>\n

She says many hybrid workers in Sri Lanka benefit from regular coordinated team office days where they share communal meals and celebrate other social events.<\/p>\n

If you or anyone you know needs help:Suicide Call Back Service<\/a> on 1300 659 467Lifeline<\/a> on 13 11 14Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis support line 13YARN<\/a>\u00a0on 13 92 76Kids Helpline<\/a> on 1800 551 800Beyond Blue<\/a> on 1300 224 636Headspace<\/a> on 1800 650 890ReachOut<\/a> at au.reachout.com<\/a>MensLine Australia<\/a> on 1300 789 978QLife 1800 184 527<\/a><\/p>\n

However, if your team can’t physically get together, you can still host virtual events with food.<\/p>\n

Check in with yourself<\/p>\n

Both experts advise checking in with yourself regularly, when you are working in isolation, and taking note of how you’re feeling.<\/p>\n

Ms Jayarathna is developing a leaflet to help hybrid workers recognise signs of struggle including burnout, technostress and isolation.<\/p>\n

“It’s so important for you to understand that ‘now I need a break’, or ‘I need a virtual coffee with my friend for 10 minutes.'”\"Dinethi<\/p>\n

Dinethi Yasodara Jayarathna is developing a leaflet to help hybrid workers easily recognise signs of burnout. (Supplied: Dinethi Yasodara Jayarathna)<\/p>\n

Dr Lim says people shouldn’t dismiss loneliness as a trivial issue or make the mistake of categorising it as a mental illness.<\/p>\n

“Loneliness isn’t depression. And just because you feel lonely, doesn’t always mean you need intensive support.”<\/p>\n

If you’re struggling to find meaningful connections at work, Dr Lim suggests connecting with other friends instead.<\/p>\n

“Your family, your friends, your neighbours, the wider social network of people that you choose are people that you can invest your time and energy in.<\/p>\n

“It’s really a focus on the quality of connections \u2026 when you have a very robust, healthy social connection [outside of work], that can really buffer you.”<\/p>\n

\"Young<\/p>\n

Michelle Lim says loneliness should not be dismissed as a trivial issue. (Adobe Stock)<\/p>\n

Top tipsVirtual coffees<\/p>\n

Making yourself a cuppa? Consider turning it into a virtual catch-up opportunity with a colleague so you can share your coffee break together. All you need is a phone, or better yet, your meeting camera.<\/p>\n

Chat groups<\/p>\n

Informal chat groups with colleagues can help facilitate casual banter, virtually. Find some common interests (such as recipe ideas) and start a thread. It’s one way to ensure not every correspondence we receive is official and impersonal.<\/p>\n

Coordinated team days in the office<\/p>\n

Where possible, try to coordinate your visits to the office with other team members. Include social activities, such as sharing a coffee or meal together.<\/p>\n

Pay attention to how you’re feeling<\/p>\n

Make a habit of checking in with yourself. If you notice feelings of fatigue, loneliness or lack of motivation, it’s time to pause and fill your cup.<\/p>\n

Step away from the computer regularly<\/p>\n

Just because you are home, it shouldn’t mean you don’t get a break. Going outside, listening to music, calling a loved one, or even having a snack can help us reset. It’s all about breaking up the screen-staring and doing something enjoyable.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In a post-COVID era that has allowed flexible working arrangements to flourish, more of us are enjoying the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":471728,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[64,63,99,240702,33019,13306,21137,6602,36972],"class_list":{"0":"post-471727","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-business","11":"tag-ending-loneliness-together","12":"tag-loneliness","13":"tag-remote-work","14":"tag-work-from-home","15":"tag-work-life-balance","16":"tag-working-from-home"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/471727","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=471727"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/471727\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/471728"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=471727"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=471727"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=471727"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}