5 Surprising Benefits of Coworking Spaces
Freelancing is great! You get to travel, organize your own time, and make money in the meantime. But when you do a lot of traveling, the “making money” part can get a bit complicated. Even if you’re currently at home, you can’t stay immune to the inner urge to procrastinate. You decided to work today, but it’s already 5PM and you have no idea where the entire day went. You haven’t done half of the work you planned to complete. With such situations, coworking spaces can save you.
The shared workplace concept has taken the freelance world by storm. You can use such a space whenever you need to, for as long as you need to too.
Still, many people are hesitant towards coworking spaces. “Will I have to talk to people there? What if someone distracts me? What if it costs too much?” Those are only few of the many questions they have in mind. Well, it’s time to put an end to the doubts. Coworking spaces are good for you, so they at least deserve a try.
The Coworking Space Has a Focused Vibe
Coworking spaces are better than your home office because they have a feel-good atmosphere. Linda Kenwood, a writer for UK Careers Booster, noticed:
“I have a wonderful home office. I got a nice chair, and I decorated it in a minimalistic style. It’s great, but I cannot compare it to the feeling a coworking space gives me. When I go to a coworking space, I know that I’m going there to work. I see these people who do what they came for: work. We have small talk, but it’s nothing distracting. They inspire me to be more focused. This space made me more efficient.”
When you’re at home, you decide to get yourself a cup of tea, have a snack, then have some coffee, another snack, prepare lunch . . . you constantly convince yourself that something is more important than the work itself. You can have snacks at a coworking space, but let’s face it: when you’re among other people, you’ll care about their opinion and you’ll want to look focused.
It Makes You More Productive
Linda Kenwood noticed this from her personal experience. But coworking spaces have such an effect on most other people, too.
Harvard researchers found that people who used coworking spaces saw their work as meaningful. They had more control over their jobs. They could decide to take a break in the middle of a long day of work, or they could work for as long as they felt like working. They valued this autonomy, but the structure that a coworking space provides made them more productive. It didn’t allow them to procrastinate for too long.
The Coworking Space Brings You into a Community
When you work alone, you feel like isolation has a beneficial effect on your creativity. If you’re an introvert, in particular, that’s important. However, if you’re constantly isolated from other people, you may start feeling a little more down.
Establishing connections with other people gets you informed about all latest trends in your industry. You connect with people and you know what that means - networking. However, it also gives you that human touch that you definitely need.
It’s Fully Equipped
Do you travel a lot? Your work is practically dependent on the Internet, and we can all agree that the reception is not the best wherever you go. Slow connection leads to tons of frustration and a failed day of work.
Coworking spaces solve this problem. They provide top-quality reception. Plus, they are fully equipped to provide the comfort you need. You’ll get a nice desk and a chair, plus a comfortable lounge to relax when you want to have a break. Some coworking spaces have locations in different countries and apps like, Croissant, can provide you access to a variety of coworking spaces around your city and the world.
It Works Outside of Business Hours
What if your partner wants to rest in the evening and that’s exactly when you feel most productive? Keeping the lights on would disturb them. What if your family is loud and you need some privacy, but it’s after business hours?
You don’t have to worry about time when you work at a coworking space. Most of these offices work outside of normal business hours. You can show up whenever you feel like working, and the space will welcome you.
The Coworking Space Is an Investment, but It Actually Saves You Money
When you realize that you have to pay for your stay in a coworking space, you might get overwhelmed. But think about it: you’d spend a lot of money to create your home office. Then, you’d be distracted in it. A coworking space is an investment, but you’re practically investing in your productivity. You’ll be inspired to stay focused and you’ll become more efficient. So you’ll return that investment and you’ll feel much better about yourself.
Another good alternative is trying out spaces a few times a week— some spaces will have a day pass rate too. Or if you’re interested, you can try apps like Croissant which help you try a variety of coworking spaces at an hourly rate instead.
Eugene is an Australian-based blogger for UK Careers Booster, who is into stand-up comedy. His favorite comedians are Louis CK and George Carlin. A good morning laugh is what keeps Eugene upbeat and motivated through the harsh day.