How to Keep Your Sense of Purpose While Working Remotely

• Working at home sounded great to many and the prospect of having no commute was seen as a welcome change (which it is).
• This initial euphoria has now turned into loneliness and missing of those we work with.
• Long-term remote work can diminish our chance to find meaning in our lives, with no sense of physical community or structure, making it hard to stay anchored.
• Many also find the extraordinary challenge of balancing one’s professional and personal lives at the same place overwhelming.

Having a physical workplace facilitates interdependence, and promotes healthy professional relationships. There is a sense of belonging, collective focus and social interaction that helps people find purpose and meaning in their lives.

Without all the things people love at their jobs, plain work suddenly looks less interesting or meaningful, as the entire context that made the mundane work attractive or tolerable has now been snatched away.

1. Forging a connection in a particular space at home or at a cafe/library where one can work in peace.
2. Create a ritual to differentiate your workspace and personal space. It can be just going to a different place for working, or even taking a short walk to set yourself up for ‘work mode’.
3. Connect with people who help you manage your emotions and keep you on track.
4. Make the main purpose of your work connect with what matters to you and to the world. If the work is ‘soul-sucking’ with no purpose, this can be a challenge.

1. Set aside a quick morning check-in which is preferably audio-only to catch up with everyone.
2. Ensure that the employees feel connected and at ease.
3. Build a trust relationship with the remote workers so that they feel part of a team, and cared for.