How to Make Friends When You Work from Home

It’s easy to forget that humans are social beings too and need our regular dose of social interaction. However, remote and flexible working means we need to rethink how we navigate staying social and sane. When I travel to the office, I actually end up not getting as much work done as I do at home because I’m focusing so much on doing some serious relationship building.

If you feel like you’ve missed the boat on ordering anything custom, allow us to introduce you to CVS Photo. With price points that are super affordable paired with their same-day pickup option, they’re a holiday procrastinator’s best friend. Don’t let it dissuade you, however, from tapping into the random chat every once and a while. You might get the sense of someone’s personality, likes, and dislikes that would make you interested in linking up with them outside the depersonalized, emoji-filled world of messaging apps. Standup comedian | I write about my experience working in tech, recruiting, and life | I use AI to empower my work as a recruiter, marketer, and founder. If you know anyone who struggles with loneliness or social isolation, share this post.

1. “Even though this is someone who knows you, and that you know and may even have worked together with previously, all of that stuff has changed.
2. I haven’t been introduced to any of my coworkers’ friends or partners, nor has my husband met any of them.
3. That means if you only ever interact at work, it’ll be hard to strengthen your bond.
4. If you resign from your position tomorrow, would you want to talk to your workplace friends again?
5. Search hashtags by the city you’re in or #digitalnomad, and you’re bound to find someone to connect with.
6. Nothing says that you need to go out into the real world necessarily to learn how to make friends when you work from home.

If you want to meet tech entrepreneurs, go to meetups in tech hotspots. The Covid-19 crisis has forced masses of people into work-from-home scenarios and just about every university student into a study-from-home experiment. Six months into the pandemic, it’s clear that virtual offices and classrooms have become the “new normal” for many of us — at least for the foreseeable future. Ask them if they can give you some feedback on your upcoming how to make friends when you work from home presentation.

1. Or, do you even have the capacity to take on a new friend right now?
2. Ask them to hop into a video call with you just to chat about what you’re working on and what their interests are.
3. Although that doesn’t mean talking to everyone you see (don’t worry, Steve!), it does mean that you should make yourself accessible to meeting new people.
4. A compliment might just brighten their day and encourage them to perform better at work.Genuine compliments can make someone feel good — they make you feel good, too.
5. However, as remote work became rote, companies have become quite siloed, and even interactions with close teammates have significantly diminished.
6. That’s hard to recreate in a video chat, but making those connections isn’t impossible.
7. Giving yourself strong boundaries can really help free you up to enjoy more of life outside of work.

This is another no-brainer until you stretch your comfort zone a bit and take it outside of your own work industry. I know plenty of finance folks, so I’m not trolling the American Banker’s Association to meet new friends. Instead, I try to find out where culinary professionals are gathering and learning about their craft.

Open up about yourself to find commonalities

It’s OK to walk away from people who make you uncomfortable or don’t get you. Open yourself to the endless possibilities of the people you meet—because you have no idea where they might lead you. If you want to party vacation-style, stay in hostels. If you want to meet other digital nomads, go to nomad hotspots where they’re likely to be.

Friendship takes time

If each person’s reply is days apart, it’s slower and difficult to build rapport and a deeper relationship. Co-working spaces are another great way to meet new people especially if you’re missing the in-person social connection of remote working. Take advantage of shared spaces like the kitchen area or pool table to make conversation with people about their interests, what they do for work and their favourite movies etc. If co-working spaces are out of your budget, regularly working from a public place like a cafe, library, or bar may be the next best option. Each time you’ll become more familiar with the workers and other remote workers.

Find the Best Remote Position With Afni

That was the opening and I asked her if she was keen to meet for wine. We talked for many hours and it was such a wonderful way for me to make a new friend and also learn more about her culture and country’s history. They make you laugh, they go on adventures with you, and they’re there for you when times are tough. But sometimes making new friends can feel really hard, whether you’re trying to meet friends in school, online, or as an adult. Fortunately, making new friends doesn’t have to be hard, especially once you know where to look and how to put yourself out there. Keep reading to learn foolproof tips and strategies for making new friends so you can start building the friendships you deserve.

I’ve recently moved to New York City, and there’s no shortage of humans. However, I’m struggling to get out from behind the screen and have real conversations. In a world that makes it easy to hide behind our computers, what are surefire tools to get me out of my comfort zone and into the world? Because, you know, working from home, it does have its benefits, like a flexible schedule and time freedom and, hey, you get to choose whether or not you want to wear pants. It is that simple sharing of experiences, sharing of knowledge that happens organically and through osmosis, when we interact with people in the workplace,” she says.

Working from home and finding it difficult to make friends? Sign up to receive tips on work, life, and how to chase (and reach!) your dreams. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that empowers people to choose how they live as they age.

You can mentor students, participate in environmental clean-up efforts, organize virtual fundraisers and make connections based on shared goals and experiences. The camaraderie with fellow volunteers can blossom into lasting friendships. Work-from-home jobs offer flexible schedules and a comfortable working environment. Yet, the lack of social interaction can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness. Our guide will give you essential tips on how to make friends when you work from home.

The beauty of these connections is that they can come from the least likely places. In my experience, sometimes the people who have the least in common on paper end up forming the strongest bonds. According to the 2018 Global Co-Working Forecast, 1.7 million people will be working from shared spaces by the end of 2018. That is ample opportunity to periodically recreate the morning water cooler chat! Co-working spaces are really coming into their own, with some even taking it a step further and becoming social clubs. For example, The Wing in New York City and Washington, D.C.

All you need to do is sign up, search for the hobby or activity that you like to do, and go to one of their meetups. It’s that easy to avoid loneliness and make friends when you work from home. Just try one with open signups, and you don’t have to worry about a team. The league will put you on one, giving you the unique opportunity to meet people with different backgrounds and interests. Be OK with making small talk wherever you go because the world is big and there are a lot of awesome people in it.