In our professional lives, we tend to associate most often with those in our field—and only those in our field. Developers hang out with developers; designers with designers; marketers with marketers; and so on. Gaining knowledge from others in your profession is a vital way to boost your own skills and advance your career. But interacting only with those in your field can lead to a sort of tunnel vision, which in turn can cause problems when it’s time to collaborate with others on a project. The solution? Break out of your comfort zone, and ask a colleague or a professional contact who works in a different profession to coffee (or the beverage of your choice). Over coffee, you might gain a better appreciation for what your colleague does, and how the two of you can potentially work together. If you’re a developer who doesn’t think someone with a liberal arts degree has much to contribute to software building, for example, talking to an editor or marketing guru could change your opinion when they start offering tips on how to write great supporting materials. Even if you don’t learn something practical, broadening your contacts is never a bad thing. Image: Chaloemphan/Shutterstock.com