There are some great ideas in this post, thanks everyone! I really enjoyed reading it.
You could also try to work in a cafe or a library, especially if all you are doing that day is marketing and you don't have to concentrate too hard. It's nice to listen to the bustling people all around you, without having to interact with them.
Some cities have "freelance work spaces" - basically, you rent a desk with a telephone and/or internet connection in a large office, full of freelance graphic designers, writers, etc. The State Library in my city does that for free, it's very nice, I work there sometimes and go out for lunch or coffee with the other people, so we can collectively complain about badly paying clients It's a great idea, very nice for semi-recluses like us!
Personally, when I get lonely working at home alone, I remember all those places I used to work in - grey hard desks, boring corporate paint schemes, people I either didn't like or found boring or really didn't care about. All those poisonous gossips in the tea room... ugh. And should I remind you of certain colleagues with a bad breath or BO problem?
And now I can take a break from work any time I like and read a book in a hammock on my balcony!
[Edited at 2011-02-17 01:10 GMT]
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Yaotl Altan Mexico Local time: 07:33 Member English to Spanish + ...
Agree
Feb 17, 2011
Almudena Grau wrote:
...
- Yes, it can get lonely, but think of all the pluses about working as a freelancer. For example, not having to deal with traffic, parking, weather, etc., in order to get to work. Making your own hours. Not having a boss to answer to. No job is 100% ideal, but I can tell you that the vast majority of my friends/acquaintances think that I live like a queen (I can´t disagree).
..
right! it has more pros than cons. On the other hand, loneliness is the perfect situation to know yourself.
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Yasutomo Kanazawa Japan Local time: 21:33 Member (2005) English to Japanese + ...
Never thought of it
Feb 17, 2011
I never thought of dealing with loneliness, since I'm surrounded by family members which I can talk to, or step outside like many people pointed out already on this forum for a cup of coffee at your favorite cafe, play sports, etcetra etcetra where you could refresh yourself.
I prefer activities which I can decide when to start and when to quit. That's why I wouldn't prefer chatting online (especially Skype) with friends or even colleagues because sometimes they hamper your precious work time, where your friends/colleagues have nothing to do at their office and talk your ears off when you are in the middle of an important project which you have to finish by the end of the day.
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Mami Yamaguchi Japan Member (2008) English to Japanese + ...
Love loneliness
Feb 17, 2011
I use skype to communicate with my clients. Certainly they disturb my precious work time. So I sometimes turn off my skype. However this tool is a must for my work now.
Sometimes I work at my clients office (hospitals,others institution...)because I have some work to be required to collaborate with them.
So I sometimes feel like an office worker. So sometimes long for loneliness!
[Edited at 2011-02-17 10:17 GMT]
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Susanna Garcia United Kingdom Local time: 13:33 Member (2008) Italian to English + ...
Never lonely
Feb 17, 2011
I'm on my own, except for the infamous Floss Cat coming up to 19, but never lonely. I taught for far too long and I love the quiet and my own company.
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Gail Bond United Kingdom Local time: 13:33 Member (2009) French to English
Starved of real humans
Feb 17, 2011
verslanglais wrote:
I'm so thrilled to see him that I'll spend a good half hour following him around the house telling him all about my day.
This struck a chord with me and made me smile, as I do exactly the same thing! Poor guy just wants a bit of peace after his hard day at the office, but instead he gets me burbling on about clients and jobs and deadlines and ProZ forum posts and Facebook status updates and how many squirrels have been spotted in the garden etc etc etc!
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Some cities have "freelance work spaces" - basically, you rent a desk with a telephone and/or internet connection in a large office, full of freelance graphic designers, writers, etc.
I do this. Costs the equivalent of $8 per day out here and includes high speed internet, copying and printing, unlimited tee/coffee, water, some snacks. They will collect your mail. Conference room time is also included if you want to meet a client.
Google coworking+/name of your city/, if you live in a city.
If you live in the country, you're screwed
[Edited at 2011-02-17 09:57 GMT]
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verslanglais France Local time: 14:33 Member (2007) French to English
LOL!
Feb 17, 2011
Gail Bond wrote:
...and how many squirrels have been spotted in the garden etc etc etc!
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Ilaria Feltre United Kingdom Local time: 13:33 Member English to Italian + ...
Turn what you like to do into "socializing time"
Feb 17, 2011
Sports/gym are great to meet people: sooner or later you end up striking up a conversation in the changing rooms or during your activities with people you start to see regularly.
Social dancing (Latin/Jive/etc.) is also brilliant for that: you meet other people at classes, whom you see again at social nights (i.e. a club that specializes in that type of music, or even an evening organized by the dance teachers themselves - who might like to rent out a hall and get some music there, to encourage people to take their classes), since they'll be hanging around at those events to practice what they've learnt.
Hiking can be social: many like to meet up and walk certain itineraries.
Libraries' noticeboards are a great source of local info and events: they're all advertised in there, from walks to knitting clubs to coffee mornings, etc.
For all this, or for more "chilled" activities, you can also check out the "Meetup" website: http://www.meetup.com/
You're likely to find a group that's into whatever you're into in your area. If not, you could start one!
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Richard Bartholomew Germany Local time: 14:33 Member (2007) German to English
Socialising with my girlfriend's friends
Feb 17, 2011
I don't remember even once feeling lonely the entire three years I've worked freelance. Maybe it's a personality thing. I used to be a programmer/software engineer; they tend to spend a lot of time alone staring into computer screens even though they might work in a crowded office environment.
Anyway, I work out once a week at the local Turnverein. My girlfriend's acquaintences and family meet the rest of my direct human contact needs. And that's quite enough for me, thank you.
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... and how many squirrels have been spotted in the garden etc etc etc!
My partner gets to hear all about the local birds, their progeny and the passionate domestics that they stage in our bird feeder, the poor man...
[Edited at 2011-02-17 22:54 GMT]
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philgoddard United States Local time: 07:33 German to English + ...
It could be worse...
Feb 18, 2011
I spent the night at a Buddhist center in Arizona once, and some of the people there were on five-year silent retreats, where all they were allowed to do was wave and smile at their fellow hermits. Me, I prefer human company, but in some ways I quite envied them.
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taja609 Romania Local time: 15:33 Romanian to English + ...
Socialize in your free time
Feb 23, 2011
indie_hunk wrote:
Hey Proz users.
I've been meaning to ask the following question for quite a while, but I think now is a really good time to ask.
How do you guys manage to beat loneliness?
How do people manage to just deal with PC, by themselves, for 8 hours a day, five times a week (or 35-55 hours a week?). How do you manage not to get lonely at all?
I have been working as a translator part-time for over a year. Recently, I have been getting lots of work (which is good, because I can now fully concentrate on translation), but I am starting to find it pretty hard to deal with it these days.
I know I have to finish my work within the next XX hours or so (which I will), but I found it extremely hard to do any work today.
Can you please share your experience?
Thanks
Hi,
I am a freelancer myself and what I do is socialize whenever I have the time, even in my lunch breaks sometimes. There are some weeks when I go out for a cup of tea every single evening, right after I finish work, as luckily I have a couple of friends who share the same eagerness for socialisation as i do.
I know it may be hard, especially at the beginning of a freelancer career but in time you will see you will have your group of friends sharing the same interests, with whom you will be able to escape the routine every time you feel like.
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Martin Stranak Czech Republic Local time: 13:33 English to Czech + ...
THANX A MILLION FOR THIS THREAD :-)
Feb 23, 2011
And I though I was the only one going bonkers, despite having three very lively yorkshire terriers accompanying me at home.
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It's a great idea, very nice for semi-recluses like us!
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