As with anything, there are benefits and drawbacks to working from home.   One of the biggest drawbacks can be the feeling of being isolated from the rest of the world.  Let’s face it, the one good thing about working for someone else in a traditional office is the fact that you have co-workers.  In most cases,  the camaraderie you share with those co-workers is a high point in your work day.  Because they understand what you do day in and day out, they provide several levels of support, from being sounding boards for new ideas to helping you relax and laugh a little by chatting during coffee breaks.  When you fly solo as a virtual professional, sitting behind your desk in your home office,  that sharing of common goals is missing.  And so is the small talk and feeling of having someone that’s in the same boat as you are.

This isolation can be so disheartening, it can cause you to question whether you have what it takes to be your own boss.  Sometimes it makes you question if you even want to. Luckily, there are ways to combat the isolation and get that same type of support without needing to give up your dream of working from home, including the following five:

1. Work remotely.  I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating.  Find a coffee shop, library or other public area that allows you to work from a laptop or iPad for a bit.  There are precautions that should be taken of course, for example, if you don’t have your own hotspot and plan on using public wi-fi, be sure you don’t work on sensitive data.  I prefer not to use public wi-fi at all, and before I had a wireless modem (which I’ve now replaced with my phones hotspot) I made sure that I worked on things like reformatting documents, writing blog posts and doing research.  It’s more about getting yourself out where there are other people, where there is talking and activity around you than doing your normal work routine.   There are lots of people who do the same, so if you go to the same place often, chances are you’ll start to make new friends.  They’re working, you’re working…aha! co-workers.
2. Social Media & Forums.  So much is made of using social media like Twitter, Facebook and Google+ as marketing tools that you may overlook it as a way to connect with other virtual professionals.  Don’t just add your target market to your following lists, add people that are doing what you’re doing or something similar.  Many of us worry too much about other virtual professionals being ‘the competition’ when we’re starting out .  Stop worrying. Really.  You’ll gain more from becoming friends with them than you ever will by isolating yourself and going it alone.  And the same thing goes for the forums that cater to virtual professionals. You’ll be surprised how much less alone you feel just by interacting with people online.
3. Take it beyond the chat box.  Getting to know people through social media and forums is great, but it can get even better.  Why not set it up with some of your online connections and do a live Skype or phone call once a week.  You can talk business or  just chat, but it will strengthen that co-worker feeling and provide that support that you really need.
4. Do a group call.  If chatting with one virtual professional buddy is good, a group is even better.  Think of the ideas you can bounce off of one another!  Or you can commiserate about the difficulties of balancing work and a home life.  It’s a virtual coffee or lunch break.  (Speaking of which, I’m hosting the first Coffee Chat with T.Marie on Feb.1st and I really hope you’ll join us!)
5. Host a Work Party.  Are you lucky enough to have several virtual professionals in your area?  Why not host a once a month (or once a week if it works for you) work ‘party’?  Invite everyone to your place to work for the morning or afternoon.  You can make it as simple or elaborate as you want depending on your hostess skills.  It can be as simple as having everyone bring their laptops and beverages of choice or you can provide coffee, snacks or even a full blown lunch before or after the work time depending on the time you’re hosting.  The point is to be together, where you can just enjoy having someone else to work next to , chat with occasionally and maybe even share a few laughs.

There is no reason to feel isolated as a work from home virtual professional.  With these 5 simple solutions, you can easily cure the isolation blues and find your own version of co-workers to help keep you going in your business.