Overcoming Loneliness As a Freelancer

As a freelancer you spend a considerable amount of time alone. For the most part I personally enjoy this seclusion as it allows me to get meaningful work done without distraction.

I think back to my office days and how my productivity has improved so much since then. Those were the times when I would yearn for some quiet time. Deep in thought compiling a specific report and someone would be laughing uncontrollably, making coffee or any other office distraction you can think of. Working from home; mostly alone is far more productive for me than any office environment.

From time to time however as a freelancer you miss the office environment. That Friday buzz,  the accomplishment of finishing a project or just a nice chat about last weeks Game Of Thrones episode.

There are moments when the office is a nice place to be. Over a year into freelancing however and although those moments are rarely thought about they do sometimes crop up in your mind. There’s no denying the rest of freelancing far outweighs ‘those moments’ yet you sometimes cannot fail to miss an office buzz.

I’ve since implemented a couple of techniques which are paying dividends for me and may work for you too. Nothing mindblowing here but a couple of options I’ve been able to carve out as a fall back if I miss that social aspect of the office environment.

Schedule client office time once a week:

A little personal hack of mine is to schedule client office time once a week. I tend to choose either Tuesday or Wednesday as it breaks up the week nicely and nobody really wants to have to leave the house on a Monday!

This may be for a meeting or just to work out of the office from time to time. Not only does this strengthen the freelancer/client relationship but it also gives you interaction on a weekly basis. This doesn’t always play out every week as there are times when I need to be doing deep work at home; however I try stick to this routine as much as possible.

Meet friends/associates for lunch:

My buddy Jon Milsom is the co founder of Pitchero.com and we’ve both known each other since school and have a ton in common. We both are naturally busy with our businesses however we try and meet up once a month for lunch. Not only do we chat about normal, everyday life but also we chat business and Jon is an incredibly smart guy. There’s nothing better than eating Nando’s and learning from someone as smart as Jon.

Meeting Jon also gives me a different perspective on business as we run completely different business types. Not only does this serve as a great catch up with a mate but it also a joint mentoring (I hope) for us both!

Find a business associate or a friend who is willing to meet up with you monthly for a business catch up. It will do you wonders.

Work from a local company’s office:

In my local city of Wakefield there’s a great digital agency called Statement who via a client I have become friendly with. Their owner Dan Conboy has kindly offered me a desk space in their new digs whenever I feel an element of cabin fever and want to be around other digital professionals.

I’m working on a couple of projects with Statement so it really makes sense for both parties.

This type of setup is transferable for all freelancers. I’m sure there are local businesses with empty desks who would love to invite you along to hot desk. Not only does it benefit them having a specialist around the office but it also gives you the human interaction with like minded people. It’s a win win situation.

Email some local agencies/businesses and see if they can extend a desk to a friendly face.

Join a freelancer meetup:

UK Jelly is a small business/freelancer meetup network who aim to bring home workers, freelancers, small business owners and entrepreneurs together in a relaxed, informal, working environment to maximise creativity and minimise the isolation that being your own boss can bring!

The events tend to be held monthly and are in a local coffee shop or environments conducive to co working. The one local to me in Wakefield is monthly on a Wednesday. I’m yet to visit the event purely due to lack of availability on the given Wednesday every month however I plan to go along in the not so distant future.

The great thing about Jelly events is that they are only monthly and there’s no long term commitment like you would have with a co working space.

Work from a coffee shop:

The classic coffee shop. The buzz, the conversation and the feeling you are in a social environment when in reality you are not involved in any of the conversations. The coffee shop is an environment for social engagement craving freelancers. I recommend doing the equivalent of a pub crawl but with coffee shops. Sample a variety of coffee shops and get a flavour (yes I did that) of the environment and whether it’s one you would like to work in.

When all other social options have failed pull out the coffee shop card. It will give you that trickle of conversation you crave.

Conclusion:

As a freelancer it’s natural to feel loneliness from time to time in the same way you sit in an open office wishing for just a quiet half an hour. There are times you miss the office loudmouth, a colleague wanting to engage in conversation with you or a project you are working with others on. These are just sacrifices you make when taking a leap into the freelance world. The benefits however completely out perform the negatives and with social media communities you are a few clicks away from a conversation. If you miss people every once in a while then take a couple of my steps on board and seek that social engagement.