Loneliness impacts us all in different ways and at different periods of our life.
So why is there still a huge stigma attached to it?
It’s far more common than people care to admit and are often too ashamed to talk about it, thus exacerbating the situation. This can lead to further isolation and can contribute to feelings of anxiety, stress and depression, impacting your life. Poor mental health impacts not just the individual but their families, friends and ultimately, the quality of their life.
Human connection and community are so important and give us the support, guidance, balance and friendship we need to navigate our day to day lives. Collectively, the last two years of the pandemic have heightened the impacts of loneliness and its more important now than ever that we build meaningful connections with friends, family, and communities.
We all have our part to play in connecting with people and combating loneliness. Having a strong work community and connecting with colleagues is something we can all influence. We can all agree that the shift to working from home has had huge benefits but with that - we have created an almost transactional way of working and lost the art and pleasure of in person conversation.
So, comment on that new haircut, ask about someone’s weekend and make time for your colleagues. Step back and take a moment to remember we will all experience loneliness at some stage so let’s make sure the workplace is not one of them.
