Working out of a home office has a great many benefits: your commute is fast and stress free, the dress code is quite forgiving, and you are able to work at the pace which suits you best so that at all times you are productive — not just busy.

But after the novelty of doing your copyediting in your bathrobe wears off, you begin to notice the great disadvantage of working on your own.

You are on your own.

All alone.

Alone.

Those little hallway interactions, watercooler chats and sudden brainstorm sessions that you took for granted turned out to be more valuable an interaction than you thought. Whether it’s just the ability to quickly bounce an idea off another person, the opportunity to draw upon someone else’s knowledge, or even just a short break to regroup and recharge, these short day to day interractions are sorely missed when you’re tucked off and away on the laptop at the kitchen table.

Here’s some thoughts on what the home office worker can do to regain the social aspect of the work life.

Online Social Networking
Tools such as twitter, groups on facebook or friendfeed, online discussion forums or email mailing lists open the door to social interaction with a wide range of professionals, and at a pace that’s convenient for you. Getting an answer as to why your printer keeps jamming, engaging in debate over the finer points of your profession or even just getting a couple of friendly responses when you say ‘good morning’; the occasional dip into the river of news and social back and forth can go a long way to stemming the feeling of isolation.

There is a chance for any of these online venues to become a time sink, eating away at your productivity. However if you have the discipline to toil away at your work and not just climb back into bed with a good book and hot cocoa, then you have the discipline required to keep your digital water cooler in check.

Get Thee to a Coffee Shop
Most coffee shops offer wi-fi connectivity. An internet connection and laptop are enough to manage most of your business from a comfy chair with a latte at hand. There’s something to be said for getting out of the house and actually out and amongst people. The ebb and flow of conversation in the background can go a ways towards shaking the work-alone blues.

Join a Professional Organization
Most organizations offer educational or social events that give you the chance to connect with your peers. Your friends or neighbours may roll their eyes as you begin a rant over the latest trade news, but in a group of your peers you can let the jargon flow and everyone will know exactly what you are talking about. These are your people and you can just be yourself amongst them.

HPCA holds meetings each month from September through May. Often with an informative or insightful speaker, but always with time for talking and socializing.

A Little From Column A … A Little From Column B
Send a tweet out asking folks to meet at the coffee shop. Connect with members of a professional organization to meet for an impromptu chance to share learning with one another. Say hello to the person next to you in line for coffee. You are not chained to your work desk. If you begin to feel starved for human contact, then the only one who can help you fill that need is yourself. Get up and get going.