At some point in your freelance career, you might find yourself feeling lonely. Loneliness can at times feel like being bored. You feel like you are in a funk and there is no way out of it. At other times it can feel like a crippling black cloud, and you need help to see a way out of it.
There is a lot of talk in the press at the moment about loneliness. It is often seen as an elder issue, but I know from experience that it can affect anyone who has to spend a great deal of time alone- like most freelancers do!
So what can we do about it? And why should we talk about it?
In this podcast I talk about my own issues with loneliness and how I have combatted them over the years. I share ways that you can deal with your own loneliness, and also ways that you can help others that are suffering.
As more and more people work from home, it is important for us to discuss these types of issues, so that it normalises them, and makes it easier for people to come forward and seek help if they need it.
Let’s talk about it!
One of the easiest ways to deal with the issue of loneliness is to talk about it. By sharing our own experiences it helps others do the same.
Look out for each other.
Freelancing can be a solitary business, so it is important that fellow freelancers look out for each other. You can form a master mind group (details of how to do this are in the podcast) where you check in on each other, but also support each other to reach your career goals. A win, win!
Find a solution.
Sometimes it feels like you can never get out of the loneliness funk, so it is important to think about solutions that work for you. It might be hot desking, or sharing a studio with someone. Or you might find that you feel most lonely when you have deadlines to reach, and chatting them through with a friend really helps.
Solutions will differ from person to person, so share what works for you as it might help someone else.
Creative Women International is always here to help you if you ever feel like you are alone. You can pop on over to the Facebook page for support.
Let me know in the comments below if you have ever suffered from loneliness and what you did to combat it.