If you work at home, you know that isolation is sometimes a good thing. When you’re working on a project that requires concentration and focus, the peace and quiet of a work at home arrangement is intoxicating. Particularly when compared with sitting in an office cubicle overhearing co-workers candidly discuss their mortgages, hairdos and marriage troubles.
However, that peace and quiet soon turns to loneliness and deafening silence (Think Jack Nicholson in The Shinning) when it’s all you know day after day. Here are a few quick fixes that help me counteract the inherent isolation that accompanies the virtual workplace.
With e-mail, instant messaging and chat rooms, Web-Ex and video conferencing, you’re just about as connected as if you were in the corporate office, right? Err, not quite. People are looking for better ways to counteract the inherent isolation that accompanies the virtual workplace. Virtual assistants and other remote workers miss out on water cooler conversations and other social aspects of office life.
Don’t get me wrong. Isolation can be a good thing. When you’re working on a project that requires concentration and focus, the peace and quiet of a work at home arrangement is intoxicating. Particularly when compared with sitting in an office cubicle overhearing co-workers candidly discuss their mortgages, hairdos and marriage troubles. However, that peace and quiet soon turns to loneliness and deafening silence (Think Jack Nicholson in The Shinning) when it’s all you know day after day.
Managing a home office is as much of a business issue as the management of any traditional office. Particularly, if you participate in a Company remote work arrangement. I know. You take all the right precautions to protect your computer, modem, printer, fax machine and other technology equipment. You have enough surge protectors, virus scanners, and remote data back-up software to defend the Pentagon. And, you have tech support on speed dial for reinforcement. But, have you considered how to address the following possibilities?
