Hi the title of my post is a bit "dramatic", but I am feeling socially isolated from the world since I ventured off to do my startup.  Granted, there is my fantastic team, but we're a small crew.

Does anyone else get this feeling of being kind of cut off?  How do you make sure you get to be somewhat social?

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I am feeling socially isolated from the world since I ventured off to do my startup.  Granted, there is my fantastic team, but we're a small crew.

What? At least you have a crew to hang out with.

I am a one-man team.

Ive been working at home, solo, in my own biz for 10yrs now.

How do you think that feels?

What to do:

Join clubs that have the same interests as you. Hiking, Photography, model trains, crochet, whatever... our club meets once a month, and another day for mini-clinics, and 2x a month for lunch, and 1x for dinner, plus other events during the month (gallery openings, outings, etc)

Don't forget church. Lots of people/friends at church, Sunday School, outings, missions trip, etc.

Since I have all the time in the world, and I control my own schedule, I haven't missed a single school function of my daughter. Her classmates say "your parents are so cool, they're always present when we have stuff like this. My dad is away again on business trip."

Develop a hobby (not watching TV). I develop a hobby, which I turned out to be very good at, that turned out into another business. (Oh no!) On track to make $95K this year. Not huge compared to my main business income, but still nice to have as extra.

Join online communities like SN, or other forums that have similar interests in yours (music, woodworking, crafts, etc).

I can perfectly understand you. We are a small crew but working at home. That means my skype dependence is really high. I also have just moved back to my country after 10 years, so more skype to keep in touch =)

Find interested 'outside' the computer. If you like movies going alone is not that great, change it for a movie lecture or similar that analyze the movie after they pass it. Go out but also in activities that will make you interact.

Cooking classes?

Good luck and if you feel lonely, keep in touch =)

L

The loneliness of being the person who runs the whole show can get to you.  It does to me.  I can honestly say "my partner doesn't understand me" - the truth is she is preoccupied with different things.

It's a good idea to find other people in your area who are juggling similar problems; start what Napoleon Hill calls a "mastermind" group to exchange ideas and support one another.

Running your own show takes courage and determination.  If you don't hang-out with people who have the same level of ambition you'll get dragged down by the clock-punchers around you.

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Develop great hobbies really help you to get out, meet people & explore new ideas, building up a small business from a hobby is  the ideal way to make a living too.

Join the Young Entrepreneur Society!!!!!

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been there too, sometimes in life to get ahead to have to put your start up first and friends and family and social life get put on the back burner. its only until you get out of the "start up" phase. I had this issue about 6 years ago and what the crew did is pick a night when everyone was free and the crew went out for drinks. this helped on a few levels. 1 you dont feel like a socal hermit. 2 your crew gets closer and 3 partners tend to listen more to each other and you have a chance to blow off some steam after work.

been there too, sometimes in life to get ahead to have to put your start up first and friends and family and social life get put on the back burner. its only until you get out of the "start up" phase. I had this issue about 6 years ago and what the crew did is pick a night when everyone was free and the crew went out for drinks. this helped on a few levels. 1 you dont feel like a socal hermit. 2 your crew gets closer and 3 partners tend to listen more to each other and you have a chance to blow off some steam after work.

Bah. I get cabin fever sometimes (I work alone at home). But I found forcing yourself to take breaks, take a walk outside and keep a schedule as if you were in an office somewhere helps.

I know how you feel, I play a lot pf sports so thats where I can break off and enjoy myself and meet people. Taking night classes also helps!

Well I am lucky I guess instead of feeling lonely 8 years ago a circle of friend got together and we launched our own interactive Networking / Chamber type organinzation. We have grown over those year and added resources  and helped each other with support and finding creative ways to grow our companies. :-)

Many of us had tried local chamber or networking group and found that many did not get the trials and goal of those of us working from home. So we formed our own online support system and I have friend online I can connect live with in our chatrooms and IM and I can't do skype as I have a Satellte connection I am out in the country so had to me even more inventive working from home.

There are groups online that meet up in real time that you can connect to. SBRN Co-op is one of them. We host some Open Networking and Meet ups and Mixers.

Nanc Johnson