If you work at home, what do you do for human interaction?

[Anonymous]

When school starts this year, I'm leaving paid/salaried work in order to work from home (first two clients already lined up!) and be able to pick DD up from school each day.

I'm absolutely thrilled to have this opportunity and DH is 100% supportive, but he accurately pointed out that I'm a very social person whose world has been focused on a highly interactive and busy workplace for years. Now that I'll be connected only by phone and email and all alone except for the pets from 8:30-3 every day, he's worried that I'll feel isolated. As usual, he's got a good point.

So, parents who have your own business/work at home while your children are at school, how do you maintain your sanity? Do you take proper lunch hours and meet people? Take a class? I plan to get in about 25 hours of work done every week, depending on client needs, so I can't bum around too much.

Really appreciate ideas and insights.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I LOVE working at home, I get NOTHING done in an office full of people.

I get my intraction from my friends. I work hard at keeping up relationships, I talk on the phone, go out to dinner, and host dinner parties. I love being social and socializing. Unlike so many moms I know, i have no shame in hiring a sitter or going out a night or two a week and leaving hubby at home.

[Anonymous]

I work from home, but work out with a group of moms every morning and that's where I get my social interaction.

[Anonymous]

As an artist, I share a studio with a fellow working mom.

[Anonymous]

Too much of my 'social interaction' comes from reading DCUM. The sad and sorry truth

[Anonymous]

I go out for lunch.

But, I'm introverted and actually love the time alone.

[Anonymous]

I've been working part time (15-20 hours/week) for 10 years. I love it -- like PP, I'm also on the introverted side and love the quiet -- BUT when I started working at home I missed the office cameradie and chit-chat more than I expected. I also felt guilty if I wasn't working every minute. Here's how I got over it:
exercise with friends -- play tennis or make a walking date 3 or 4 days each week;
set aside 10 minutes daily to call or email a friend or my sister or cousin;
book group;
dinner group to stay in touch with former colleagues;
volunteer for PTA projects with a partner or team of other parents, rather than doing the Lone Ranger jobs;
if you've got a dog, walk him/her -- you'll almost alway run into a neighbor to chat with.

Some of these actvities required hiring sitter when my kids were younger (oldest is now in high school, so he's now our resident sitter), esp. b/c DH travelled often in those days. I never felt guilty about this and have always been surprised that so many moms do. Your sanity is worth it.

Good luck -- HTH!

[Anonymous]

My 1 year old goes to day care and I've been working from home full time since last year. I get loads of interaction talking to coworkers on the phone but I also make sure that I go out everyday- whether it's for lunch, the gym or running errands. I also just try to keep in touch with friends as much as I can. I have a couple of friends that I chat with on the phone everyday and I'll go out to lunch with once a week. Once in awhile I'll meet up with a bunch of friends for drinks and dinner. It was tough at first but now I love the flexibility that working from home gives me. Just make it a point to keep in touch with your friends outside of work and make sure to get out of the house everyday to avoid getting stir crazy.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks so much, everyone! Unfortunately I don't know anyone who stays at home or works at home right now, so the exercise thing might be out. But there are two yoga places and an aikido studio within walking distance of my house so maybe I'll try a class and see if the people there can be my respite from working alone.

I am SO excited for this new stage in my life but I just want to make sure that the huge change from managing 8 people to managing my neurotic dog and dying, incontinent cat (who is, to be fair, less likely to make a mess than my future-ex boss) doesn't make me battier than I already am.

Would love to find a jogging partner-- maybe will post on my neighborhood list serv.

[Anonymous]

I work from home almost full-time, and it has been hard to meet people. I am feeling a bit isolated, and I need to make more contact with people. The problem is that DH has a very demanding career. It means that I have to take care of getting the kids to school & getting my work done. There is no time for me to do anything else. I think I either need to start working outside the house, which would force DH to spend more time with the kids, or quit my job and become a stay-at-home mom. I guess my point is to make sure you get out of the house and have human contact. Good luck!