Networking for the Isolated

One of the most common complaints for most Virtual Assistants is that it’s hard to network, and get to know others in the same field. Maybe you stopped working in an office because there were too many stresses there, but now you find that working all day on your own can get kinda … lonely. Unless you have children or a pet, this is a condition we all share at some time or another.

Spending too much time on Friendster or MySpace can be kind of like taking crack — not very productive. You can get lost in chatting with others about weekend plans, but what good is it doing you? We prefer a social networking experience that serves two purposes. Blogging has been around since the early days of the Internet (you know, when Al Gore invented it), but has only recently become very popular. It seems that almost everybody has something to say, and as long as you have a platform, you can, too. Blogs serve the dual purposes of marketing your business, if you want to get the word out, and inviting others to comment on what you’ve said. In this way, you invent a “conversation” nearly every day you post. Soon, your sad and lonely blues will melt away as you meet new friends you never even knew you had.

Another great way to avoid the lonelies is to invest in a web cam. I know, it sounds kind of perverted, but these days, web cams are used to keep distant families together, by sharing images of children as they grow up across the country from their grandparents. Web cams can even be used to stay in touch with other VAs, or “talk” to your clients in other parts of the U.S. The personal connection can’t be beat when you’re trying to network. Logitech makes our favorite web cam.

We find that VoIP is another great way to have the feeling of staying in touch, without disrupting your work flow. VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, is a hardware/software combination that allows you to talk over the Internet. This saves on long-distance charges, because the call is conducted over your Internet connection. With this adapter from Hello Direct, you can use your own phone to start talking, without a lot of fuss. In just a few minutes, you could be chatting to those people you “chat” with all day long.

And the last, best way we know of to feel connected while working at home is to join a club or network. The Spiritual Cinema Club is one we adore. For $21 a month, we get four new films every month on DVD (the tapes don’t have to be returned). They might be shorts, features or documentaries, but they all share a certain spiritual quality. The films are not overbearing, or hell-bent on converting you to anything, just open-minded meditations on what it means to be conscious and human on this planet. And the best part of all is that the first month of membership is free if you click on the link below!

Now that you’re feeling a bit less isolated, get back to work!

About the Author
Patty McFeeney is part of the team at http://www.AssistantGirls.com. She’s spent the past twelve years honing her graphic design skills at magazines such as Discover, SPIN, Blender, and Virtually Alternative, among others.