Feelings of isolation don't just come from your social life. With the boom of the gig economy and the shift within the Millennial demographic toward independent work, that feeling of isolation can compound without the camaraderie of a team and coworkers.
"The feeling of isolation does not take much time to start showing up," said Fernanda Paronetto, who decided to create her own business after working in a corporate environment for more than 12 years. Working from home — alone — was a huge shift that impacted every aspect of her life, including her physical health and gym time.
"I first started working out of coffee shops, but that also got quite hard, so I finally decided to move into a WeWork," she told POPSUGAR. Instead of opting for a private office in her coworking space, she chose a "Hot Desk," which is an open, community-centric working area.
Through this, "I created a great new group of friends that I actually have a relationship outside of work," she said — and gained a network of colleagues to support her business (and vice versa). "The world of freelancers is growing everywhere. Having a community that joins them is priceless."
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Paul Kabata