COVID-19 has everybody keeping their distance, causing many to feel isolated in their own little “at least 6 ft.” bubble. The truth is that people were already feeling lonely, with frequency increasing by generation.
In 2019 UCLA studied loneliness and found Baby Boomers just hovering at the lonely mark, and Generation X was 4 points more lonely than their parents. Millennials were marginally lonelier, and the loneliest of all generations, Gen Z scored almost 7 points more than their great grandparents.
Why is everyone dealing with so much loneliness? Before Coronavirus, remote work was believed to be the cause. In 2019 10% of Americans worked remotely, most of them more likely to report feeling lonely.
Workers who went into the office were 6% less likely to feel isolated and 17% less likely to lack friendships. Workers in K-12 education are some of the least likely to experience loneliness, but with school closures due to the pandemic that could be changing.
Learn about how to practice social distancing without feeling lonely here!
Infographic by: www.eduref.net
