Ask HN: How do you deal with social isolation while working from home? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with social isolation while working from home?

#21

Post by scarecrowbob » Sat, Jul 04, 2020, 2:16 PM UTC

I started my working life in a University, where I had colleagues but more or less worked on my own even when I was in an office.

At some point I quit, went through some other jobn searches, and started working from home doing software dev work.

SO I've been working on my own for 20 years, and 10 of those have been doing remote dev work.

Two things have been helpful:

- I had a family for most of that time, - I have activities outside of work (playing music and rock climbing) that I need to interact with other folks to do.

For the first six weeks or so of the pandemic quarantine I curtailed those activities.

At this point, I now have a small group of 10 or so people across two bands and a couple of dudes I climb with, and so I am back into having some socialization. If I get exposed (or anyone in my groups is exposed), it's a small enough set of people I can contract trace.

So, with the exception of the 75-person buddist group I was going to and playing music in bars, I am more or less back to the amount of socialization I was getting before the pandemic.

That's what keeps me from feeling isolated.

Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with social isolation while working from home?

#22

Post by ageofwant » Sat, Jul 04, 2020, 2:20 PM UTC

You will get over it. A certain degree of social dependence and external validation is fine. But if the lack of it makes you unhappy I'll take it as a hint that you have deep caverns in you mind, filled with extraordinary treasure, that you have never ventured into. Read more, try out hard things and make them easy. People and friends are nice, but don't depend on them for purpose and connection.

Why not take up botany https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTsAFpSXj7Y

Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with social isolation while working from home?

#23

Post by pps43 » Sat, Jul 04, 2020, 2:24 PM UTC

At work I have scheduled meetings with no agenda. If we have nothing to talk, it's a short meeting. But it turns out that there's almost always something worth discussing. Without such scheduled meetings people might not think it's worth initiating a call or sending an IM and potentially interrupting someone's flow.

At home we FaceTime people we normally drink beer together and do it remotely. Two or three families in a videochat. We even attended an all-remote wedding.

Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with social isolation while working from home?

#24

Post by geerlingguy » Sat, Jul 04, 2020, 2:25 PM UTC

JohnBooty wrote: post #18

jejeyyy77 wrote: post #3

Hot take from someone who has worked remotely for the past few years: It’s not healthy.

For me it's way healthier, physically and spiritually. I get to spend more time exercising, more time with loved ones, and pets, and I save money. I also do get to talk and banter with coworkers on video calls and slack.

I think a lot of it boils down to whether you're living in a place with other people or you're alone in an apartment. A family or roommates can give enough human interaction that it's not an issue at all. But many people have most of their human interaction through work and associated activity (commute, lunches, dinner after work, etc.), and the isolation is stifling.

As an introvert with a medical condition, a wife and three kids at home, remote working is the best thing that's ever happened in my career, and I can't see myself working in an office unless there were some incredibly good incentives (and closed individual offices).

Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with social isolation while working from home?

#25

Post by user_50123890 » Sat, Jul 04, 2020, 2:31 PM UTC

Video games in the evenings with friends, with voice chat.

Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with social isolation while working from home?

#26

Post by thebeefytaco » Sat, Jul 04, 2020, 2:32 PM UTC

Because I'm used to it. I've been working from home and socially isolated for years, lol.

Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with social isolation while working from home?

#27

Post by brudgers » Sat, Jul 04, 2020, 2:34 PM UTC

Dogs.

Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with social isolation while working from home?

#28

Post by jansan » Sat, Jul 04, 2020, 2:35 PM UTC

Nobody else here seems to have any children. Sometimes I would like to have more social isolation, because, believe it or not, two teenage boys at home can be rather annoying from time to time.

Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with social isolation while working from home?

#29

Post by theduder99 » Sat, Jul 04, 2020, 2:44 PM UTC

[dead]

Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with social isolation while working from home?

#30

Post by mistersquid » Sat, Jul 04, 2020, 2:45 PM UTC

Jaruzel wrote: post #6

jejeyyy77 wrote: post #3

Hot take from someone who has worked remotely for the past few years: It’s not healthy.

Counter balance: I have also been WFH for the past several years. I enjoy it and prefer it to working in an office. The thing is, WFH is not for everyone. Some people will thrive in it, and some will not, and that's OK. Don't try and force yourself into a pattern that doesn't suit. Once the pandemic is over, revert to the work environment you enjoy most. In the meantime, if you feel lonely, try always-on voice comms…

> try always-on voice comms with your teammates while you all work as usual

What software or hardware does your team use for this?