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How to Work From Home Without Feeling Isolated

Written by: Janis Pettit

Article Overview: If you work from home as I do, it's very easy to slip into the habit of holing up at home for days. When you first get the idea of starting a home based business, it sounds so appealing–work in your pajamas if you want to. No commuting, no interruptions from colleagues, more time freedom.

How to Work From Home Without Feeling Isolated

If you work from home as I do, it's very easy to slip into the habit of holing up at home for days. When you first get the idea of starting a home based business, it sounds so appealing–work in your pajamas if you want to. No commuting, no interruptions from colleagues, more time freedom.

But when the reality sets in you find yourself socially isolated in a virtual world. Your world shrinks and becomes your computer and your family. Even the occasional business lunch or networking event doesn't help much.

I've battled this and found that social interaction is absolutely necessary for humans! Here are some ways to help you keep you from becoming a cloistered hermit.

• Join a gym. Don't just workout; go to a class where you get to know the regulars. This can also give your body a much needed break from the computer.
• Plan a regular get together with other nearby home based business owners to socialize and strategize. There are probably plenty in your neighborhood, or you can go to http://meetup.com and start a group in your area.
• Plan a weekly lunch with someone influential who you've wanted to have a relationship with. This is fun and a great business building activity.
• Take your laptop to Starbucks or Panera and work from there for a few hours just to get out of the house.
• Join local professional networking groups that either have members who are your target client or are other business that serve your market and go to meetings, join a committee, or offer to do a presentation to build relationships.

Make connecting with others a regular part of your work routine.

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Article Tags: based business owners, business building, business lunch, cloistered, computer plan, connecting with others, home based business, interruptions, networking event, networking groups, pajamas, professional networking, regulars, social interaction, starbucks, starting a home based business, target client, time freedom, virtual world, work routine



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