The downside to working alone is more than just not getting those short breaks to catch up with a co-worker – it also means not naturally having someone to turn to for help, or even a happy hour group to gripe about common workplace frustrations. What more, I don’t have peers to congratulate me when I do a good job, or to celebrate any major achievements together.
Luckily, over time, I have found some great ways to make being a solopreneur less lonely. If you’re feeling blah about going down your own professional path, consider what I’ve learned:
You may think that although you don’t have co-workers, you have all the support you need through personal relationships. I thought that, too. I honestly didn’t realize how lonely I felt in my profession for so long because of it. Don’t beat yourself up for wanting more than the great partner, friends, family, etc. that you already have in your life. I have all those things, but I eventually realized I was really missing a community of people that were going through similar professional experiences as me. With this realization, I’ve made more of an effort to join networking groups with entrepreneurs in similar fields and build connections with those people. This has helped me not only feel less alone in my career, but has provided me with great contacts who can give tips and advice that are far more helpful than what I can Google on my own.
When you work in an office or in an organizational structure, chances are you have someone to bounce ideas off of and receive valuable feedback. Some companies even have a structured mentoring program, where employees get partnered with management staff and meet regularly to talk about broader professional goals. By helping their employees grow professionally, companies are cultivating a more effective and self-starting workforce.
As an entrepreneur, these human resources are not naturally available to me. And honestly, I didn’t see the point in having a mentor for a long time. After all, I’d struck out on my own and successfully started my own business, so I must have been doing okay on my own, right? My attitude toward mentors completely changed when I was matched with one last year through a networking group I’m in (another reason why community’s so important!) Not only has it been professionally helpful to have someone who can give me career advice, it’s given me emotional support that has really helped me see the positive in being an entrepreneur.
If you think you’ve found a mentor, I’d suggest taking them out to coffee and telling them what it is you’re looking to get out of the professional relationship. If it seems like a good match, the next best step is to set a regular meeting schedule that works for both of you.
I know, I know. A lot of people think the best part of being an entrepreneur is the flexibility to work out of your house. And it is great for those days where you just don’t feel like getting dressed or are feeling slightly under the weather. But talk to anyone who works from home, and chances are they will also say it’s a very isolating aspect of their job.
Working out of a coworking space for the past four years has been a great change for me. Not only does it help me delineate my personal life from my professional, but sometimes it’s just nice to see other faces and exchange hello’s throughout the day. If you’re not interested in coworking spaces, even working a few hours or days at a coffee shop or library can help cure those lonely blues. If you know someone else with a flexible work environment, consider inviting them to join you. Sometimes just having a friendly face seated across the table makes all the difference.
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