6 Reasons to Start Coworking Today
Work for yourself? Sick of arriving at your usual coffee shop only to find an impostor in your favourite seat? So were over 15,000 other people who now find themselves the proud members of coworking spaces. In a nutshell, coworking spaces are shared offices where everybody pays, usually monthly, to have a desk and use the facilities. Coworking is becoming increasingly popular amongst freelancers, start-ups and entrepreneurs who want to keep the routine that comes with working in an office without the drawbacks.
Coworking allows you to…
1. Bring structure to your work
One of the main benefits of coworking is separating work from home. Having a place to call your office gives you a reason to ditch the dressing gown and get away from the distractions that come with being at home. Geographically separating your work also keeps home a relaxing space where you’re not subjected to the constant guilt of feeling like you should be working all the time.
2. Work flexibly
Slightly counter-intuitively, coworking is also a great way to be flexible with your work. Having the structure of an office while also maintaining autonomy over your schedule allows you to establish a style and pace of work that’s right for you. Many coworking spaces also have hot-desking areas, meaning you don’t have to commit to a full-time desk if you your schedule is more varied.
3. Feel driven and inspired
Coworking spaces should inspire you to want to work; finding a working environment with tasteful but practical interior design will help your business flourish and get creative ideas flowing. This will also increase your productivity at work, and you’ll be motivated to get out of bed in the mornings knowing you’re going to a space where you feel genuinely inspired.
4. Meet like-minded people
The very nature of a coworking space means you’ll be surrounded by other people who, like yourself, have made an active decision to work there. As well as being empowering, this fact means you’ll all have a similar drive, work ethic and desire to be surrounded by inspiring people. You and your co-workers will also be able to provide emotional support and help each other through any bumps in the road for your businesses.
5. Thrive as part of a community
Working for yourself shouldn’t have to mean working alone. A shared space gets rid of the isolation of working from home and surrounds you with people. Many coworking spaces have a strong focus on community, so you’ll have the chance to talk to your fellow co-workers and build up a strong network of support and contacts that you couldn’t as a from-home worker.
6. Network
One of the biggest struggles for people working from home is being shut off from potential clients and people with the skills and/or experience to help your business grow. As part of a coworking space, you’ll get talking to people from all walks of life who will either be of direct help to your business or are only a few steps away from useful contacts they can put you in touch with. You’d be amazed how quickly you can help your company expand just by getting out there and talking to people…
…which brings us back to our values at The Wheelhouse: local, friendly, coworking. We chose these as our core values because we feel they encompass everything it means to be part of a coworking space. As a co-worker, you can work close to home without having to work at home, meet and network with people like yourself, and be part of a collaborative, inspiring space that will actually make you want to get out of bed in the morning. We think you’ll agree that’s a pretty winning combination.
