You love working from home. It may be taking a toll on your mental health

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Since April, Matthew Juhren has spent up to 75 hours a week working remotely from his home office near Portland, Oregon. He spends most of that time alone.

“The solitude of it all is new and different,” Juhren said, “and for an extroverted person, it can be difficult at times.”

Spending too much time working alone can be harmful to your mental health, new research suggests. As companies announce new return-to-office mandates, experts say it’s important to incorporate meaningful social interaction into your day, regardless of where you work.

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‘Loneliness influencers’ have no friends, but they say they’re happy. What they can teach us

People who live alone and work jobs that can be done remotely report being more mentally distressed and socially isolated than those whose work has to be done in person, a recent study published in the journal Science found.

The authors analyzed over a decade of data from national surveys and compared reports from workers in jobs that can be done remotely, such as marketing, and jobs that require in-person work, such as surgery. It did not measure how many specific individuals worked remotely.

Workers in remote-friendly jobs who live alone spent 25% of days without social contact, more than twice as much as those in non-remote friendly jobs, the study found.

With some companies pushing for workers to return to the office up to five days a week, going in more often might not seem all that bad. But while fully remote work can be a risk factor for loneliness, more in-person work isn’t always better, said Dr. Constance Noonan Hadley, an organizational psychologist and founder of the Institute for Life at Work, who wasn’t involved in the study.

“It assumes that when you go to the office you have a meaningful, socially fulfilling environment,” Hadley said. Combating feelings of loneliness and isolation starts with spending more time in environments where you feel valued and understood, be it at the office or elsewhere.

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Years after the pandemic, remote work is still popular in the United States: When asked in November, 61% of remote-capable US employees prefer to work hybrid, 33% prefer to work exclusively remote and 6% prefer on-site work, according to Gallup .

Respondents cited work-life balance as one of the biggest reasons why they love hybrid work. Other studies have found that remote work also increases productivity .

While the Science study found workers in remote-friendly jobs had higher levels of mental distress, other experts cautioned against the idea that remote work alone worsens mental health. In a July study in Frontiers in Psychology , remote workers reported the highest levels of positive well-being among roughly 7,700 healthcare employees surveyed across fully remote, hybrid and on-site roles.

Anika Farmer, 45, an attorney based in Trinidad and Tobago, has been working remotely since 2020. Two years later, she received a chronic diagnosis that made it difficult for her to drive 2 ½ hours to her office each day. Without her morning commute, she uses that time to exercise and practice mindfulness before starting her workday.

“That makes a huge difference on your stress levels and everything,” Farmer said. It helps that she lives with her mom, uncle and dog, Zeke, so she has company.

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The loneliness epidemic: Nearly 1 in 4 adults feel lonely, new survey finds

The change in psychological distress levels since the pandemic was twice as large for solo dwellers in remote-friendly jobs compared with those who live with others, the Science study found. When days went by without contacting another person, they didn’t make up for it by socializing after work hours.

That kind of behavior can stem from loneliness, or a lack of practice, making it easier to avoid future interactions, Hadley said. Lonely people who become more sensitive to social rejection may avoid future interactions as a defense mechanism, she added.

At a glance, working at the office has its perks. Eighty-six percent of CEOs said they’ll reward employees who spend more time at the office, a 2024 KPMG report found . A May study published in Social Science Research Network found that remote work dampens young people’s opportunities to get hired in the future.

But going into the office doesn’t guarantee social connection.

“You can’t assume even because someone is in the office that they’re actually in contact with other humans,” said Tampa, Florida, psychologist Tammy Allen, whose research focuses on remote work, flexible working and occupational health. It also doesn’t mean the relationships with those who come in are positive, she added.

Positive, socially fulfilling environments are places where people receive validation from those around them that they are seen, valued and understood, Hadley explained. Hence, forcing people to go back to the office can have an opposite effect on mental health and well-being, she said.

“When leaders impose something that people clearly and vocally do not want, there’s a way that can increase a sense of loneliness,” Hadley said, adding that it’s important for employers to listen to employees and design mentorship programs, social groups and events they want to join.

Chronically lonely employees who struggle with social confidence may need extra support, Hadley said. Personal invitations to events can help silence fears of rejection and make them feel more encouraged to participate.

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People are lonely. Small steps in your community can make a difference

If you’re working remotely and spending a lot of time alone, a little social interaction can go a long way.

Even small interactions, such as chatting with your barista or smiling at a stranger, can give people a sense of belonging, a 2013 study found.

In her research , Hadley asked participants which work environment was the most socially fulfilling, and found that it wasn’t home or the office, but a third space in between.

Respondents pointed to places where they could be their authentic selves: coworking spaces, such as coffee shops. There, they didn’t have any underlying tension or competition since they weren’t doing the same work as other customers.

When deciding how to add more social time into your day, “It doesn’t have to be necessarily in your office,” Hadley said.

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Loneliness or social isolation linked to serious health outcomes, study finds

For Juhren, he spends that time with his partner. They don’t see each other much during the workday since she works in person in downtown Portland, but they find a way to meet up a few nights a week, just to play cards, have a beer or go somewhere to get out and do something.

“If I were alone, I think it would probably be much worse,” Juhren said, “and I would probably seek out human interaction much more than I do now.”

It’s all about balance, if your workplace allows it, and going where you feel most included.

Cordilia James is a lifestyle journalist and writer based in New York City. She has written for The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and People.

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自四月以来，马修·尤伦每周有多达 75 小时的时间在他位于俄勒冈州波特兰附近的家中远程办公。他大部分时间都是独自一人度过的。

“这种孤独感是全新的，与以往不同，”尤伦说，“对于一个外向的人来说，有时可能会很困难。”

最新研究表明，长时间独自工作可能对心理健康有害。随着各公司陆续宣布新的返岗规定，专家建议，无论在哪里工作，都应该在日常生活中加入有意义的社交互动。

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“孤独网红”们没有朋友，但他们却说自己很快乐。他们能教会我们什么？

发表在《科学》杂志上的一项最新研究发现，独居且从事可远程工作的人比那些必须亲自到场工作的人更容易感到精神痛苦和社会孤立。

作者分析了十多年来的全国性调查数据，并比较了可远程办公的工作（例如市场营销）和需要现场工作的工作（例如外科手术）的从业人员的报告。但该研究并未统计远程办公的具体人数。

研究发现，从事远程办公且独居的员工有 25% 的时间没有社交接触，这一比例是从事非远程办公员工的两倍多。

一些公司鼓励员工每周最多五天返回办公室，这样看来，增加到办公室上班的频率似乎也并非那么糟糕。但组织心理学家、工作生活研究所创始人康斯坦斯·努南·哈德利博士（她并未参与这项研究）指出，虽然完全远程办公可能会导致孤独感，但增加面对面办公并不总是更好。

“这假设你去办公室上班时，身处一个有意义、能让你获得社交满足感的环境，”哈德利说。对抗孤独和孤立感，首先要多花时间待在让你感到被重视和被理解的环境中，无论是在办公室还是其他地方。

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疫情爆发多年后，远程办公在美国仍然很受欢迎：根据盖洛普公司的数据，在 11 月份的一项调查中，61% 的具备远程办公能力的美国员工更喜欢混合办公模式，33% 更喜欢完全远程办公，6% 更喜欢现场办公。

受访者表示，工作与生活平衡是他们喜欢混合办公模式的最大原因之一。其他研究也发现，远程办公还能提高工作效率。

尽管《科学》杂志的一项研究发现，远程办公岗位的员工心理压力更大，但其他专家则警告说，仅凭远程办公本身并不会恶化心理健康状况。在7月份发表于《心理学前沿》杂志的一项研究中，在接受调查的约7700名医疗保健员工中，远程办公人员（包括完全远程、混合办公和现场办公岗位）的幸福感最高。

45岁的阿尼卡·法默是一名居住在特立尼达和多巴哥的律师，自2020年以来一直远程办公。两年后，她被诊断出患有慢性疾病，这使得她难以每天驱车2.5小时前往办公室。省去了早晨的通勤时间后，她利用这段时间进行锻炼和冥想，然后再开始一天的工作。

“这极大地缓解了我的压力，”法默说。她和妈妈、叔叔还有爱犬泽克住在一起，有人陪伴，这对她来说很有帮助。

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孤独症蔓延：最新调查发现，近四分之一的成年人感到孤独

《科学》杂志的一项研究发现，自疫情爆发以来，远程办公的独居者心理压力水平的变化幅度是与他人同住者的两倍。当几天没有与他人联系时，他们并没有在下班后通过社交活动来弥补。

哈德利表示，这种行为可能源于孤独感或缺乏社交经验，从而更容易回避未来的社交互动。她补充说，孤独的人对社交拒绝更加敏感，可能会出于自我保护的心理而回避未来的社交互动。

乍一看，在办公室工作确实有其优势。毕马威2024年的一份报告显示，86%的CEO表示会奖励那些在办公室工作时间更长的员工。然而，发表在社会科学研究网络（Social Science Research Network）上的一项5月研究发现，远程办公会降低年轻人未来获得就业机会的可能性。

但去办公室上班并不能保证获得社交联系。

“即使有人在办公室，也不能想当然地认为他们真的会与其他人接触，”佛罗里达州坦帕市的心理学家塔米·艾伦说道，她的研究方向是远程办公、灵活办公和职业健康。她补充说，这也不意味着他们与来办公室的人之间的关系就是积极的。

哈德利解释说，积极向上、充满社交乐趣的环境，能让人们从周围的人那里获得认可，感受到自己的被关注、被重视和被理解。因此，强迫人们重返办公室可能会对心理健康和幸福感产生相反的效果。

“当领导者强加一些人们明确表示不想要的东西时，可能会加剧人们的孤独感，”哈德利说，并补充说，雇主倾听员工的意见，设计他们想要参加的指导计划、社交团体和活动非常重要。

哈德利表示，长期感到孤独且缺乏社交自信的员工可能需要额外的支持。亲自邀请他们参加活动可以帮助他们消除被拒绝的恐惧，并鼓励他们更积极地参与其中。

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人们会感到孤独。社区里的小小举动就能带来改变。

如果你远程办公，经常独处，那么一点社交互动会大有裨益。

2013 年的一项研究发现，即使是像和咖啡师聊天或对陌生人微笑这样的小互动，也能给人带来归属感。

在她的研究中，哈德利询问参与者哪种工作环境最能带来社交满足感，结果发现既不是在家也不是在办公室，而是在两者之间的第三种空间。

受访者指出，在联合办公空间（例如咖啡馆）等场所，他们可以展现真实的自我。在那里，他们不会感到任何潜在的紧张或竞争，因为他们与其他顾客从事的工作并不相同。

哈德利说，在决定如何增加一天中的社交时间时，“不一定非要在办公室进行”。

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研究发现，孤独或社交孤立与严重的健康后果有关。

对尤伦来说，他会把这段时间花在伴侣身上。由于她需要在波特兰市中心亲自上班，所以工作日他们很少见面，但他们每周会想办法抽出几个晚上见面，打打牌，喝喝啤酒，或者出去走走，做点什么。

“如果我孤身一人，我想情况可能会更糟，”尤伦说，“我可能会比现在更渴望与人交往。”

关键在于平衡，如果你的工作场所允许的话，并且要去那些让你感到最能融入其中的地方。

科迪莉亚·詹姆斯是一位居住在纽约市的生活方式记者和作家。她曾为《华尔街日报》、《华盛顿邮报》和《人物》杂志撰稿。

每周精选健康生活小贴士，助您轻松享受美好生活。订阅 CNN 的“生活更美好”电子报，获取提升幸福感的资讯和实用工具。