If there is one detriment to running a home business it is isolation. You can easily find yourself isolated from the world around you. I have no co-workers to talk to (or contend with). I don’t really have a “boss.” I have an editor but she works several states away so our conversations take place through email.
And now that my children are back in school, the house can become eerily quiet. It is as if I am cut off from the rest of the world.
Now some people (myself included) thrive on working independently. Although this can be a good thing, it can also become a crutch. It can keep you so isolated that you lose touch with the world about.
Even if you still have young children at home, that sense of isolation from the adult world can be there. It can become almost too easy to detach. This isn’t necessarily a good thing.
So in an attempt to combat isolation we may turn to other outlets—email, instant messaging, Facebook, Skype, Twitter and other various social networking—but technology was never meant to replace true interaction.
So what is a person to do when they work from their home by themselves day in and day out? You have to purpose to not be isolated. If there are friends that work odd hours and are home during the day or if a friend takes a vacation and can swing it, arrange to have a lunch date.
Look for opportunities through a local church or recreational department where you can engage with other people. One of the things I look forward to every school year is a prayer group that meets in my church the 1st, 3rd and 5th Tuesday morning. It is called “Moms in Touch” and it is my chance to be around other moms, praying for our children.
Sometimes I battle with getting to this group. I get so used to being at home and working, that breaking away isn’t always easy. But when I go, I am always glad I did.
Think of other ways you can get outside the house that will actually help you grow in your home business. Taking a class, attending a seminar or joining a business group are just some ideas. You might even consider teaching a class or course on your home business.
Something else you might not have thought about as a way to break isolation is to run errands. A trip to the bank, grocery store, book store or other public place can be a chance to break away. You get the opportunity to interact (even if it’s brief) with others.
What are other ideas do you have on combating isolation when you work from home?
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Photo by dave in morgueFile