Lone entrepreneurs need not be lonely

It can be tough sometimes, being a solo-entrepreneur. 

Being an entrepreneur today is often not quite the same as entrepreneurs from days of old, who pioneered actual bricks and mortar developments and were surrounded by the teams of people.

In this age of entrepreneurs using the web to map out their own career and financial destinies, they are often flying solo while they do it.  Sure some have one or two people they might work with on a regular basis, but usually the bulk of their work is done alone. 

A side effect of working alone all the time is that it can get, well, pretty lonely.

While alone time can be great when you’re on a productive or creative streak and need to get things done, it can also be extremely unhealthy if you aren’t careful and don’t make an effort to connect with other people and put yourself out into the “real world”.

People need people, whether they realise it or not. 

Many entrepreneurs often have a large online network of friends which they connect and interact with regularly.

However this is not the same thing as getting yourself out into the “real world” around actual people and the hustle and bustle of everyday life.  Working from home and playing with all your Facebook friends just won’t cut it. 

We therefore present our guide to combating loneliness when you’re a lone businessman (or woman).

Get out of the house  

Yes, we mean it. Get. Out. Pack up your laptop, your notes and briefcase, and whatever else you need to perform the job or project you need to do that day, and leave. Sure your home is comfy and you might have a sweetly decked out office. But there’s a problem with the picture - there are no people. So get up, and transport your work to where you can see, feel, and hear other people. That’s really the advantage of being a solo-entrepreneur. You (usually) have the physical freedom to actually work from anywhere. All you need is your computer and some Wi-Fi. Head over to your local cafe, occupy a quiet table, and enjoy the company of other people all around you. The funny thing about doing this is, because of the explosion of internet-based careers, chances are you will not be the only online worker in the place. Look around you and see how many laptops you see, with people busily banging away while they sip their latte and relax. I guarantee you’ll see at least one other person, just like you. This can lead to a little wave of kinship between you and them. Maybe even take ten minutes before you start working, go over and say hi. It’s a sure bet they’ll enjoy the moment too.

Take time for yourself

Take time to stop working and focus on yourself. Schedule an activity away from your desk, simple or planned. This could include:

• Get out of the house. 
• Go see a movie with some friends. 
• Have lunch with your spouse. 
• Hit the gym with your buddy. 
• Take a class with your sibling. 
• Whatever.

The point is to pry yourself off the chair you’ve been glued to the past several hours, don some halfway decent looking clothes, get out and socialise.  Connect with other people, whether they are strangers or people you care about, it’s all good for the soul.

Network offline as well as online  

Take all those lovely connections you make everyday online, while going about your daily business duties, and start connecting offline too.  You may find some of the solo-entrepreneurs that you chat with regularly live nearer than you think. 

And if they live an hour or two away it’s the perfect excuse for a road trip.  What could be better than making plans to hang out with like-minded individuals face to face, rather than monitor to monitor?  You can even dress it up as a “business meeting” if that makes you feel better.

Find an unofficial business partner 

Maybe you have a good friend who does the same sort of work as you, or offers complimentary products or services.  Or maybe they aren’t a good friend, but you’d like them to be.  See if there is a way you can work together to grow both of your businesses successfully.

As a side benefit, you can plan weekly outings to actually physically work together, like meeting for lunch for a business meeting, or teaming up at your local library to work in tandem.  Maybe one of you has a luxury home office while the other practically works out of a box. 

The one that works out of a box can come over and you can share some office space for the day, while still doing all the things that need to be done in order for your business to run successfully.  The point is you’ll have some company while doing work you love.

The bottom line is to make your business work for you and fulfill all of your needs, including the personal ones.  Everybody needs someone. Remember, even Superman had Lois.