Going solo as a freelancer has its perks, but I’m finding the loneliness part pretty tough. Back when I was at an agency, the vibe wasn’t great and the pay wasn’t the best, but having people around made a big difference. Now, it’s just me and sometimes I miss that sense of being part of a team.
Does anyone have any stories or tips on how they’ve dealt with feeling isolated as a freelancer? I’d love to hear how you all manage to feel connected and stay motivated.
Hi Bernadett, I can totally relate to that feeling.
What helps me most is seeking out regular connection/catch ups with people: reaching out to former colleagues or inviting people for coffee chats.
I also recently joined a professional community that is local to where I live, called Ladies That UX. (they have them in many parts of the world, so you can look for your local chapter). It gives you a nice supportive professional network and a chance to meet new people more easily. I also sometimes attend local professional meetups as well.
I found that having a community that can be independent of the workplace is incredibly beneficial, as it is a network that stays with you even when you change projects/jobs.
Hope this helps Please feel free to reach out to me on Linkedin if you want. Always happy to have a chat!
I was struggling with the same issue, but a few years back (freelacing for 10+ years now) a client happened to ask me to join their office and I agreed.
We made a deal that I’ll also work on other projects while I’m in his office and still keep my freelancer freedom.
While at times they were pushing the freelancer/consultant - client boundaries we did manage to have a good interaction, I had an office at their place (for the time of the contract) and had the option to network with the people there.
Since 2021, when I turned into a “digital nomad”, I find coworkings to be really helpful and many of them have small communities gathered around certain industries or values, I’d recommend smaller and less corporate-y spaces where it’s easier to network with people.
Please feel free to reach out to me on Linkedin if you want. Always happy to have a chat!