I’m often asked if I miss the social interaction that goes along with working in an office. Among the many joys of working from home, there can be periods of loneliness; often times the thing I miss most is the opportunity to bounce ideas off of a colleague. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to combat the solitude.

Join a professional organization: in the DC area, there are scores of them. Find the one that best suits your interests. I invest my time in Washington Women in PR.

Join an online community: I’ve recently found value in Facebook groups where professionals across the globe are answering each others questions, feeding tips and sharing tools. It’s a wonderful way to stay current on news and trends, too. Shonali Burke Consulting and The Nectar Collective are my current favorites.

Schedule lunches: Finally, there is no one watching if you’re decided to extend that lunch break beyond an hour. Whether its an old co-worker, or someone you just met at a networking event, invest in meeting new people – you have no idea what doors you could be opening.

How do you work to maintain and build your community?