Telework Doesn't Mean Solitary Confinement

One of the main benefits to working from home or a telework center is the peace and quiet of avoiding rush hour traffic and the distractions of the office. Of course, one of the main drawbacks to working at home is that very same peace and quiet. It can get too quiet. Here are some tips for avoiding the isolation. Post yours in the comment area or link back from your blog and we'll publish a list in a few weeks.

Top 5 Ways for Teleworkers to Avoid Isolation

1. Turn on some music - not all day long necessarily, but some music (or even TV news like CNN, though I personally find this more distracting) can help to break the monotony and re-energize your creative mind.


2. Take a break and go outside - walk around the neighborhood, mow the lawn, or just go get the mail. Your coworkers in the office are taking breaks to get coffee, chat with colleagues down the hall, or go out for a smoke. There's no reason you should be chained to your PC.


3. Take a lunch break!


4. Contact your colleagues in real time - IM, chat, videoconference, txt message, twitter, FaceBook, or even the plain old telephone will do the trick. Just pick something other than email, which lacks the sense of conversation. Try to communicate with coworkers at least once before lunch and once after, to stay connected.


5. Get into the office on a regular basis - even if you think you could telework every day, the research shows that's a bad idea. At least one day of in-office time per week is a must-have for a truly effective telework program. That day is best spent having meetings, building relationships, and engaging in creative and strategic exercises. Save the email, web research, and document editing for another telework day.