If you’re wondering how to avoid loneliness when teaching online, read on. When you’re running your own business and working from home, it can be all too easy to not speak to people for days! When this leads to loneliness, it’s then easy to feel resentful towards your work. Let’s flip this around.

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Avoid Loneliness When Teaching Online. The Best Advice You Need.

Know Your Recharge Status

Avoiding loneliness isn’t just about “getting out there and meeting people!”.

You could be in a crowded room and still feel incredibly lonely.

That’s why it’s also worth knowing your recharge status.

Are you someone who benefits and draws energy from being with others? Or do you find it enjoyable, but also a little draining?

Because if you find social interactions enjoyable but also draining, don’t feel that to avoid loneliness, you simply need to spend more time with people. If you do, that’ll just lead to frustration and exhaustion.

Related: Why is Self-Compassion So Hard? (A Happy Language Learner’s Perspective)

Get Outside

It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate, you don’t even have to speak to anyone else, but you do need to get outside.

I normally walk before work first thing in the morning, on my lunch break, and after work some days I go outside to exercise.

It might sound like a lot, but it helps to break up my working day (and thus, break up my alone time).

It’s not so much about getting outside for a walk and intentionally talking to strangers (although if that’s your jam, go for it).

Instead, it’s more about simply being around other people, even if you’re in a small village and might just see one person driving past on your entire walk.

I find just knowing that other people are going about their day a nice reminder that we’re not alone.

Related: How to Stay Home, Learn Languages and Exercise

Join Something Social

If you do want more connection with individuals, then why not intentionally join something social locally?

So here, I’m not thinking about just going for a walk and maybe you’ll see someone.

I’m thinking more so that you are attending an art session, a sport class, a book club, a language exchange…anything that involves hanging out and speaking with others.

You don’t have to make friends necessarily, but just that human connection is a great way to help avoid a lonely evening after a long day working solo at home.

Related: Why (+ How) You Should Collaborate With Other Online Language Teachers

Connect with Similar Folk

There are times when you’ll want the people you connect with to be working online, teaching, or simply just running any other business.

It’s nice to know that when you tell people what you do for work, you won’t need to ‘translate’ and explain every other word!

Whether this comes in the form of an online group like a Facebook Group, or an offline networking event for all business owners, once in a while, it can be a welcome relief.

Related: 4 Habits of Highly Successful Online Language Teachers

Find an Accountability Buddy

Something that can work well for both types of recharge status is having an accountability buddy.

This is someone with whom you check in regularly to see how you’re getting on.

You can decide between you what you’d want this to look like.

So it could be that you meet online once a week, or maybe you live close and meet in person monthly, or perhaps you check in via text or email every fortnight.

Whatever it looks like, you want to ensure that you’re both honest about your expectations so that you can be getting what you both need from it.

Related: How to Use ChatGPT for Online Teachers

Attend Co-Working Spaces

Sometimes you just need the energy of other people working who “get” your style of work. Co-working can be great for that.

Have a look around. There might be places nearby with regular memberships, which is useful if you find you like this idea on a regular basis.

alternatively, perhaps you prefer the idea of a day pass, where you simply pay for one day at a time. This way you can use the co-working space every now and then as and when you need that buzz of other business people working around you.

Related: Marketing Lessons from the Barbie Movie for Better Online Teaching

Work in the Library

if there’s no co-working near you or it’s not an option that suits, try libraries. I often go and sit for a couple of hours to work quietly in my local library if I’m having a sleepy afternoon slump! Simply being around others helps be get my work done, especially knowing that I’ve got a limited time to get it done in.

Related: How to Attract New Clients with Old Content – Teach Languages Online

Take Yourself on a Work Date

whats a work date? It’s a whole day with just you, your laptop, your notes…whatever you need for a particular day of work catch up or check in that’s mobile.

I like to catch a bus to nearby cities or towns and find cosy cafes, libraries or even co-working spaces for a fresh change of scene.

bizarrely, there’s some power in this change that often comes in unexpected ways. It’s very rare that I’ll take myself on a work date and not get an unexpected enrollment on a course or an exciting opportunity pop up in my inbox.

Related: Marketing Lessons from Taylor Swift for Better Online Business

Join a Teacher Community

Finally, if you want regular connections to other online teachers, then joining a teacher community of sorts could be the answer.

Try Facebook groups, offline meet ups and any other place you typically find communities.

I also have to mention here that there’s opportunities on occasion to connect with others in the Online Teaching Starter Kit. In fact, in September 2023, we’ll be starting twice monthly calls – a live social question and catch up call and a co-working call. Every single month, as a lovely bonus for you when you join the Online Teaching Starter Kit.