ARE YOU LONELY TONIGHT?

If so, you’re not alone. Cigna recently released its 2020 Loneliness Index. The survey found:

Men are slightly lonelier than women
Younger people (18-22) are lonelier than older people (72+)
Those living in urban and suburban communities are less lonely than those in rural areas

Social media has a major impact on loneliness with very heavy social media users significantly more likely to feel alone, isolated, left out and without companionship
Loneliness has implications for the business community
- Lonely workers say they are less engaged, less productive and report lower retention rates
- They are twice as likely to miss a day of work due to illness and five times more likely to miss work due to stress
- Remote workers are more likely than non-remote workers to always or sometimes feel alone

With effort, you can change these feelings. Here are a few suggestions from Toni Bernhard J.D.:

Don’t blame yourself in any way, shape, or form.
Seek relief from a non-human “friend.” Chocolate cake, anyone?
Connect with a human friend if you can.
Do something creative, no matter how simple.
Help someone in need.
Call to mind others who are feeling lonely and send them kind and compassionate thoughts.
Visualize someplace you’d like to be—a fun gathering, the seashore, a sporting event—and see if, just for a moment, you can feel happy for those who are there.
Treat loneliness as an old friend who’s dropped in for a visit (despite not having received an invitation).
Remind yourself that life is not always fun and that tomorrow is a new day.
Sing.

You can take the original loneliness test at this link:

https://www.cigna.com/about-us/newsroom/studies-and-reports/loneliness-questionnaire

References:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/turning-straw-gold/201612/10-things-try-when-you-re-feeling-lonely

Please follow and like us: