Virtual work buddies to fight home working fatigue
An international study buddy group says offices and universities could help fight loneliness by working together online.
Last updated 8th Jan 2021
How do you fancy taking a coffee break with strangers from all over the world?
That’s what one group has started doing to simulate the office environment and help people focus better while working from home.
The ADHD Study Group is calling on more offices and universities to adopt the idea to help fight loneliness while working from home and keep people focused.
How does it work?
Workers, students and everyone in between start joining the call around 9 am for a quick catch up and to set out their daily goals. After 10 minutes, they turn off their cameras and microphones and get to work – before another similar break 30 minutes later.
“We all miss the office and we all miss the workplace, whatever that is, and miss being around our colleagues and being able to just bounce ideas off one another”, said Marie Fallon, a PhD Student at Aberdeen University who set up the group this year.
She added:
“I think this is something that has kept me going through difficult periods this year, and knowing that there are people there I can talk to and work alongside even if I’m at home on my own.”
Marie set up the group for people with ADHD after she was diagnosed with the condition in 2020. Now, it spans five different continents and can see as many as 100 bookings per week.
While the group is primarily for those with ADHD, Marie thinks workplaces and universities should adopt the same tactic to help people feel part of a community again:
“I’ve seen through my own university department that people are trying to replicate that office feel by having virtual coffee breaks and virtual zoom quizzes.
“I think this is something. That a lot of workplaces could implement rather than just the quick short meeting, I think this is something that could be set up quite easily and inexpensively.
“It wouldn’t cost the earth, and it would bring you back into the office albeit in a virtual environment.”
If you've got ADHD and would like to join the group, you can find out more here: https://www.adhd-hub.com/