I get up at 7:00 a.m., put coffee in the machine, feed the cat, then the dog, and head downstairs to my home office. I hold conference calls, prepare power points, and analyze the monthly budget all in the comfort of my pajamas … with un-brushed teeth.

It is hard to gauge whether I’ve increased or decreased the amount of time that I actually spend working. Although I get up later, I start working sooner because I don’t have a commute anymore, and well, I don’t seem to bother with dressing either. I do find that I can be super productive when left to my own, and admit that there are many days where I don’t leave the house, choosing instead to stay huddled in my flannels and hunched over the keyboard. Office works mingles with housework at times, when laundry gets folded and shopping lists are prepared while listening to an endless conference call. And of course, I pick up hours of productivity because I don’t drift into the kitchen looking for snacks and some idle chitchat with co-workers. (I still look for snacks, but chitchat with my dog and cat just doesn’t provide the same reprieve).

Where I lose productive hours is when I leave in the middle of day to get haircuts, take the dog for his walk, or catch the newest movie just released. And I absolutely do these things because that is one of the perks of working from home—getting to see the latest Val Kilmer film on the day it comes out without a line. (Huge Val fan here).

Friend Time

What has definitely decreased is the amount of time that I spend socializing with co-workers. This probably has a lot to do with the fact that I no longer have any co-workers. And thus, although working virtual certainly has its benefits, it is a bit of a lonely gig.

According to the Discovery Channel’s PlanetGreen website, nearly 45 million Americans work from their homes exclusively, or at least part of the week.  In terms of the greening of the planet, I think this is a wonderful trend. In terms of improving the happiness and fun-ness of our lives, it is a trend that gives me pause, especially if even a small percentage of these 45 million neighbors are anything like me. Here is why.

I work from home out of necessity—I am a sole proprietor and my home provides me space to run my business. I suppose that I could rent office space, but then I couldn’t afford the really, really great developer I just hired. The problem is that while I like to socialize, I also like my personal space, and find that when I’m in it, unless I have to, I don’t look to leave it. This is why, when I started this solo gig, while thrilled for the responsibility and freedom, realized very soon that I was isolated and … lonely.

So, like one who finally admits those 5 extra pounds are really 15 and have the potential to jump to 30 if left untended, I got serious about my isolation and feelings of loneliness and came up with a plan and promise.

The best way to cure isolation and loneliness is to simply stop isolating yourself and get involved with other people. Thankfully, this actually is just as easily said as done.

Lunch with Friends

Now, even though most of my friends work full-time jobs in outside offices, I make sure to schedule lunches with them at least a few times a week. See regardless of whether we work for the same company or not, we both still need to eat each day, and might as well do it with each other. My friends actually love doing lunches with me because I have the time to pick them up and then drop them back off again at their offices (and we all can admit that being chauffeured to and from lunch is pretty darn nice).

Friends with Hobbies

When I worked the 9-5, I admit my hobbies were mainly independent activities like gardening, reading, and home improvement. Now, I make a conscience effort to participate in hobbies that involve other people. For me, that means a lot of tennis—tennis lessons, tennis round-robins, shopping for new tennis clothes—you get the idea. I also belong to a gym and I go to that gym a lot, especially now, for group classes. Find a class that you like and you’ll quickly find a group of regulars who attend with you. Although constantly reprimanded, we chat during class and we continue our conversations and involvement into the sauna and whirlpool.

Friends, Community and Coffee

Only so many new movies come out each week, and only so many friends are available for after-work drinks, so while I loaded my calendar to the brim with Vino and Val, I still found myself with lots of alone time … until I wandered into a local coffee house late one weekday morning. Imagine my joy when I saw at least a half dozen other entrepreneurs and virtual employees happily snapping away on their wifi-enabled laptops, sipping coffee, and sharing table space in the crowded café.  Like my zumba class, I discovered that each café has their regulars and that there are a ton of wireless cafes out there. I am super-duper productive when I hit a coffee house, probably because everyone else is steadily working away and that energizes and motivates me to keep pace (could also have to do with the mass quantities of coffee I consume). I have yet to actually make a new friend via my outings, but they at least satisfy the “I’m part of a community” need when I see the same faces week-after-week.

A loner by birth, I was a bit scared to join the ranks of the home-employed thinking that I’d quickly wither away in my basement office, alone, and unnoticed by anyone (yes, I lean toward the dramatic). But rather than let this become my reality, I sought out new ways to stay connected to existing friends and new places to connect to sub-communities. I surprised myself with the pleasantness of just thrusting yourself out there. And staying connected.

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