There’s no place like home: Does relocation hurt productivity?

Relocating for your career can be both exciting and overwhelming. While a new city may offer fresh opportunities, the emotional toll of leaving behind familiar surroundings, friends, and family is often underestimated. Homesickness, a common side effect of relocation, can affect your focus, mood, and productivity at work. With relocation becoming increasingly common, many workers feel that moving across the country or even internationally is the only way to advance their careers.

The transition is often filled with moments of nostalgia—missing family gatherings, favorite hangouts, or the comfort of a well-known routine. But homesickness doesn’t have to hinder your career growth. By finding purpose and creating a sense of belonging in your new environment, you can ease these feelings and enhance your productivity at work. So, how do you manage the emotional rollercoaster of relocation and turn a new place into home?

What is homesickness?

Homesickness goes beyond missing familiarity—it’s a deep emotional state triggered by the absence of things that make us feel at ease. Whether that’s local cuisine, the rhythm of your hometown, or the community you’ve built over the years, being away from home can create a sense of disconnection. According to Padraig Walsh, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, homesickness is “a state of distress caused by being separated from home and familiar surroundings,” and this distress can seep into every part of life, including work.

Walsh explains that homesickness can manifest both emotionally and physically. Emotionally, it shows up as sadness, loneliness, or a deep longing for home. In severe cases, it can even resemble a mild depressive episode. Physically, it can affect sleep patterns, appetite, and interest in daily activities. “You might see someone unwilling to make new friends or engage with their environment because they’re longing for home,” Walsh adds.

Homesickness doesn’t just affect personal emotions, it can significantly impact work performance. According to Walsh, “When your mind is constantly occupied with thoughts of home, it becomes difficult to focus, which can lead to a drop in motivation and productivity.” Prolonged homesickness can even result in absenteeism or lower job satisfaction, which ultimately harms overall well-being.

Finding belonging in a new environment

Eram Shaikh, a clinical psychologist who moved from Mumbai to Ireland, knows firsthand how crucial finding a sense of belonging is. “I’m so grateful I found support at work, especially in that first month. It’s the little things: feeling included, feeling like you contribute, being valued … that, at the end of the day, make you feel like you belong,” she explains. For Shaikh, connecting with colleagues and embracing social opportunities in the workplace was key to adjusting to her new environment.“At home, it’s easy to feel like you fit in because people look like you, speak your language, and share similar experiences. When that gets uprooted, finding new roots in a foreign place is essential, even if it takes time.”

She also highlights how important it is to put yourself out there socially, even if it feels uncomfortable. “If you don’t, you’re protecting yourself from embarrassment, sure, but you’re also stopping yourself from finding something that could be the thing you need,” she adds.

Staying connected with family and friends back home is also crucial. “I honestly couldn’t have survived without video calls. I can’t imagine not seeing my brothers’ faces.”

However, Walsh warns that relying too much on work as a coping mechanism can be risky. “Work can become an easy escape, especially if it’s your only social outlet,” he explains. “While work activities can provide support, they may not always meet your emotional needs outside of the job.”

How homesickness affects work performance

Finding pieces of your home culture in your new environment, whether through familiar restaurants or activities, can help ease the transition, according to Walsh. Shaikh echoes this, adding that it’s crucial to be patient and open to trying new things. “Sometimes those connections come from the most unexpected places,” she says.

However, emotional attachment to home can still significantly impact job performance. One study found that homesickness accounts for up to 79% of changes in work performance, as dwelling on what we’ve left behind makes it harder to focus on present tasks. Loneliness and isolation, which often accompany homesickness, can further reduce work efficiency by 68%, emphasizing the importance of managing these emotions to succeed in the workplace.

Tips for managing homesickness

Managing these emotions from the beginning can have a positive impact on your well-being and productivity at work. It’s not always easy, but there are some things you can do to help reduce homesickness and create a balanced lifestyle while building your career away from home.

1. Build relationships with colleagues

It’s important to build a sense of community wherever you are. As Shaikh points out, feeling included and valued at work can help foster a sense of belonging. Try to attend social events, participate in team activities, and engage in casual conversations in the office. These relationships can provide emotional support and help alleviate feelings of isolation.

2. Find the correct balance

As Walsh cautions, work can be helpful but relying solely on it for social interactions can lead to burnout or loss of personal identity. It’s important to maintain hobbies or interests outside of work that can reflect who you are as an individual. Participating in sports, cultural activities, or artistic pursuits outside of the workplace can help provide balance and personal fulfillment so that you can prevent depending on work as a social outlet or escape.

3. Stay connected to home

Regular contact with friends and family can be an emotional lifeline. As Shaikh mentions, video calls with her family helped her stay connected. Simply hearing familiar voices or being on a call while doing daily activities can provide immense comfort. Scheduling time for these calls or planning activities that remind you of home, like cooking familiar meals, can help you feel connected to your roots.

4. Be patient and take risks

Homesickness doesn’t disappear overnight, and it’s important to be patient. Shaikh talks about the need to give yourself time to find your “roots” in a new place. It’s essential to put yourself out there, even if it feels intimidating. Trying new things, meeting new people, and taking risks (such as joining a club or exploring new areas) can gradually help you build a new sense of belonging.

Adjusting to a new environment takes time, but by building connections, staying balanced, and giving yourself grace during the transition, you can turn any place into a home. Not only will this make you feel more settled, but it will also boost your productivity and sense of purpose at work

Photo: Welcome to the Jungle

Follow Welcome to the Jungle on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram and subscribe to our newsletter to get our latest articles every week!