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12 Tips on How to Make New Friends When You Work From Home

It is no secret that every year the way we do things changes. One of those things is the way we work. Now that we are in the digital age, more and more people are able to stay at home and work right from their home office. While working from home is an awesome thing, it can be quite lonely sometimes. When it comes to meeting new people, working from home doesn't always cater to that need. Today, we are going to look at some of the best tips on how to meet new people when you work from home.

1. Change up the Landscape

One of the best tips for making friends when you work from home is changing up your landscape. Working from home probably means that you have a quaint little home office where you tuck yourself away and work. While this might be great for productivity, it does tend to isolate you from the rest of the world. And unfortunately, this means that you have lessened your chances of meeting new people and making new friends.

When it comes to switching up your workspace, some of the best spaces are the ones that you probably already frequent. For example, try taking your laptop and working from a coffee shop instead. If you want to work during lunch hour, then a bistro would be another great place to go to. When you change up your landscape, you give yourself an opportunity to experience more people throughout the day. And of course, with this comes the opportunity to meet new people and make new friends.

2. Attend Professional Development Events

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Whatever your niche is, chances are there is a professional development conference that caters to it. One of the best tips for making new friends when you work at home is getting yourself out there for these professional events. Some helpful thing to do would be to start looking up professional events that pertain to your area of expertise. Once you have narrowed them down, you have opened up an opportunity to mingle and network with like-minded people.

Not only that but when you make new friends with like-minded people who are in the same industry as you, you will get a buddy that you can bounce ideas off of. This will keep the channel of communication open so that your new found friendship is not just a one hit wonder.

3. Be Proactive

Having friends when you are an adult is not the same as having friends when you were a child. When you were a child, maintaining relationships with your friends was something that you did not need to put much effort into. However, when adulthood hits you, effort is everything when you try to maintain a friendship. One of the best tips for making new friends when you work from home is by investing in the ones that you already have. Reach out through all your social media sites like Facebook and Twitter and put an effort into connecting with long lost friends. This is perhaps one of the best ways to restart and ignite friendships that may have fizzled out or gotten forgotten

4. Join a Sports Team

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If you are athletic, then this is perhaps one of the best tips for making new friends when you work from home. Joining a sports team will help you not only meet new people, but it will allow you to work on key traits that are required in any friendship. If you live in a small city or township, then chances are your city offers recreational activities for you to join. Take advantage of these activities by signing up to a club or sport that you find interest in. And for bonus points, you don't necessarily have to be good at any of these sports. For the most part, tryouts are not a thing that exists with community run recreational activities.

5. Join a Club Based on Your Hobby

Everyone has got hobbies. Unfortunately, the older we get the more of a back burner our hobbies take. One of the best tips in making new friends is joining a club or group that is centered around a hobby of your choice. For example, if you absolutely love knitting, then joining a knitting club may be the best bet for you.

Whichever hobby you choose to explore, you are sure to find like minded people who are just as excited and enthused. Right off the bat, this will give you a leverage because you will be able to meet people where the ice is already broken!

6. Join a Book Club

This next tip for making friends when you work from home is one that might not be for everybody. Joining a book club is one of the best ways to meet new people. Not only that but if you are an introvert, this can be an especially great way. Most book clubs are incredibly inviting and safe spaces for you to share your thoughts and ideas. And if not yet ready to socialize, book clubs are great if you prefer to sit back and listen instead. However you choose to interact, one thing is for certain. Joining a book club is one of the best tips for making new friends when you work from home.

9. Get Out and Volunteer

Another one of the best tips for making friends when you work from home is volunteering. For starters, you are sure to find plenty of organizations right in your own backyard. Many of these organizations are almost always looking for helping hands. From building houses to assisting the elderly, and everything in between. You are sure to find an organization to volunteer in that suits your needs. For the best results and making meaningful friendships, it's best to volunteer at the same organization more than once. That way, faces will become familiar and you will have more of an authentic reason to strike up a conversation with someone.

10. Play Dates with Mom Friends

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 If you are a mom who also works from home, then this next tip can be a lifesaver for both your social life and your mom life. Working mom have the double whammy when it comes to losing friends and making new ones. However, there are ways around that. Going to your local park with your children and befriending friendly face is one way to go. Another great way for making mom friends is by checking out your local mommy and me groups. A great resource for this can be  Social media sites. Facebook can be an awesome tool in helping you pinpoint exactly what type of mommy groups are in your area. Better yet, you can be able to figure out when they meet so you can easily join.

11. Take a Class at Your Local College

Sure online classes are all the rage right now. However, there is something awesome about real life classes that leaves digital education in the dust. If you are looking to go back to school or are just looking to learn something new and exciting, then this can be a great way to meet new people.

The great thing about taking a class in real life is the fact that there are so many to choose from. It does not necessarily have to be an educational one. For example, if a passion of yours is learning about a specific thing like photography or cooking, chances are, you will find a class for that. When you enroll yourself in a real life class, you open up the door of meeting a host of new people that you can connect with.

12. Go to A Solo Paint Nites

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Paint Nites have been all the rage the past couple of years. Especially when it comes to the people in the mid to late 20's. There are so many reasons why going on a solo Paint Nite is a great way to meet people. For starters, the atmosphere is almost always chill. Right off the bat, you get the opportunity to relax and feel at ease. Not only that, but you will get the chance to create art. And if there is anything that can get two strangers talking, it is a piece of original artwork. If you are not sure where a local Paint Nite event will be taking place near you, then one of the best places to start your hunt would be on Groupon. Groupon offers a range of deals that are all about finding the perfect Paint Nite. 

Final Thoughts

Working from home can no longer be your go-to excuse for not going out on the weekends. While it may be harder to meet new people and make new friends if you work from home, it is not impossible. Use some of these tips, and step out of your comfort zone. We are sure that you won't regret it.

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