If you found yourself employed in a remote job, after working in an office day by day, you may feel overwhelmed and isolated. To provide you with some comfort, we get it, you’re not alone, and it’s totally normal. The transition may be the most difficult part, but you can also start to feel disconnected from your team after a while if you don’t see them personally anymore. Here are some tips to fight loneliness, and feel like you are not left alone at the end of the world:

Set a routine and stick to it

Without steady schedules, the lines between work and personal time can get blurred and be stressful to get right. Establish a healthy sleep and work routine if you can, and stay consistent. Get up at the same time, eat breakfast and get out of your pajamas. Try scheduling your previous commute time and spend it exercising, reading or listening to music before logging in. Most importantly, when your workday stops, stop working. Shut down, stop checking emails and focus on your home life. And at the end of the day, try to get to bed at your usual time.

Make time to invest in yourself and your personal relationships

Set aside protected time outside your working hours to do things you enjoy and see your friends and family. As well as helping you to maintain a better work-life balance, investing time in your hobbies and activities that you’re passionate about, be it through volunteering, attending a weekly group exercise class or signing up for an evening course, will provide opportunities for you to meet and connect with new people who share your interests. Making plans to spend regular quality time with loved ones and nurturing these personal relationships can also help to compensate for not seeing your colleagues every day and give you the social fix you need.

Make a dedicated workspace

If you can, find a quiet space away from people and distractions like the TV (or the kitchen, when you feel snacky). Get everything you need in one place, before you start work – chargers, pens, water, coffee and anything else – and shut the door if you can. Even in a small or shared space, try to designate an area for work. Lastly, get comfortable. While it might be tempting to sit on the sofa, it’s much better to sit at a desk or table. Use the NHS guidelines to set up your workspace correctly, as much as you possibly can. If you do not have office furniture like an adjustable chair, try using things like cushions to support you in your chair, or a box as a footrest.

Work around other humans

If you miss the chatter or the busy sounds, try co-working spaces or a café. This will combat your sense of isolation and eventually possibly your loneliness too. You may hear or see everyone else doing their job and getting on with their life, which creates an illusion of security, especially in the extroverted. Noise may also calm your nerves. Look up brown noise on youtube or spotify, and watch your productivity hit new heights.

Give yourself a break

Making time for breaks is vital to help manage feelings of stress.

Try to take lunch and regular screen breaks, and give yourself time to concentrate on something else so you feel more focused when you return. Even just 5 to 10 minutes of short breaks each hour can really help your productivity too. If possible, spend time outdoors when you can. Regular time in green space is great for your mental health. Set a time to go for a walk, run, bike ride for fresh air, or a coffee.

Keep your home office space tidy

While a messy desk has helped win a Nobel prize and may be helpful for creativity, removing clutter is recommended for a lot of the other types of tasks we undertake in an average workday. A clutter-free desk may reduce the cognitive load on our brains, making us more productive. Researchers have found clutter influences employees’ thinking, emotions and behaviors. These factors affect decision-making, relationships, stress, eating choices and even sleep.