Home alone

Sounds like a movie title, doesn’t it? 🙂

When you’re working as a Virtual Assistant the reality is that you are working home alone, day in and day out. If you’ve been in a corporate office for some years you will be used to the social interaction of chatting to others, or just knowing that there are other people nearby. But when you’re working for yourself, the reality is, there isn’t usually anyone else around, unless you have children in the house or others you might be caring for.

I’ve written on this topic in the past but thought it important to bring it up again.

Not everyone is suited to working at home alone with no-one else around them. I came across this very early in my own journey as a VA and have met many others who really struggled with it. I find the best thing (for me) is to make sure I go out and network regularly, meet local business people in other fields, socialise online and get some fresh air.  And this is something I have recommended to many new VAs. Of those who don’t remain VAs long-term, isolation (and sometimes depression) is often one of the things that gets to them.

I enjoy my own company and don’t mind being home alone all day. I always have my radio on so it never feels like I’m entirely alone. But I do recognise the importance of interacting with others, which is why I make sure I go out to networking events, seminars, etc so that I’m out of my own 4 walls and visiting elsewhere.  There are times when I don’t feel like going out but I know, from experience, those are the times when I really must go out.

Social media is another way I connect with people, on a daily basis. I belong to some VA forums, but it’s business networking groups on Facebook and LinkedIn that generally get my attention. It’s always great chatting to people who have different outlooks on life and different life experiences, and who work in different fields. So I’m networking at the same time I’m socialising.

If you’re working at home alone and feeling isolated and very alone, I encourage you to seek out local business networking groups close to home and visit them. Or find some local business people that might like to get together for an hour or two, weekly, fortnightly, or at least monthly so you have a regular outing to go to. You just never know what might take place and it will ensure you’re getting some fresh air and a bit of exercise – something else that is very important for your personal welfare.