I know this entire blog is focused on working from home, but this new way of remote working is, if anything, adaptable. Some people even chose to pay for an office away from their house.
Isn’t that completely against the point of working from home? And why the hell would people pay for it!?
People pay for coworking spaces for a number of reasons including increasing productivity, networking with others, and providing structure to the day. The infrastructure they provide when compared to working from a cafe (or even your home office) can sometime tempt a lot of people to give them a go, too.
To find out which reason you might have for paying for a coworking space, let’s explore them all in a little more depth. Don’t rule out these interesting little spaces just yet!
What is a coworking space?
A coworking space is a place where multiple people, or companies, share a work space. This provides access to the infrastructure of an office without the burden of monthly rent or other ongoing costs.
Freelance workers are able to book office space whenever they want, and request a hot or cold desk depending on the location of the office. Hot desks often cost less as you’ll be assigned whichever one is available at the time, cold desks cost more and will only ever be available to you.
1. Change of scenery
I feel unbelievably lucky to be able to work from home. The only thing is, staring at the same four walls every day isn’t ideal. It’s not exactly the most inspiring scenery in the world.
While you can make your office a pleasure to work from (and I have!), I actually miss the commute to work. Not necessarily the people, or the transport, but watching the world go by and seeing people go about their daily lives.
It’s hard to explain it because I know a lot of people reading this are probably thinking “What the hell is he talking about?”, but just creating an incredible office and working from it without changing things up isn’t viable long term.
Even something as simple as working from your office 3 days a week and the coworking space for 2 (Ideally Tuesday and Wednesday) could drastically improve your productivity, mindset, and mood.
That’s why I’ve talked before about going for a walk if you’re feeling burned out. Just a simple change of scenery once in a while can do absolute wonders for every part of your work.
2. Networking
I love meeting people, and yet I also love the convenience and freedom that working from home gives me. Unfortunately, I can’t have both if I’m working in my home office. Coworking spaces, however, mean I can!
So if you’re currently working an office job, or any 9 to 5 for that matter, and aren’t sure if you’ll like being at home all day without human interaction (unless re-watching The US Office counts?…) I’m here to tell you that you can!
Coworking spaces allow you to mix with like-minded people, or just people watch to your heart’s content. From entrepreneurs and freelancers to small business owners and students, you’re bound to find common ground with a lot of these folks.
Depending on the coworking space you go to, many of them will set up actual networking events for you to meet not only other members of your coworking space but other local freelancers as well. Of course, you don’t have to go to these events, but take a moment to think about whether it’s just nerves that are holding you back.
You could go to a coworking space just for the change of scenery and wear earphones for the whole day, but it’s such a great opportunity to talk to other people in the same situation as you. Some of them might have been remote working for years and be able to give you a few tips if you spark up a conversation!
3. Inspiration
If you’re at the very beginning of your Work-From-Home journey, your office might be… less than inspiring to say the least. That’s not what you want when you’re making what is likely one of the biggest changes in your life.
Of course, you could spend a while creating the office of your dreams, and you should! (Here are some articles to get you going) But in the meantime, it helps to have somewhere inspiring to work whilst you’re creating the future of your dreams.
Some of the best coworking spaces have things like meditation rooms, outdoor spaces, cozy couches, fully stocked kitchens, and game rooms (gotta have a lunch break, right?;). I don’t know about you, but my office doesn’t have this many sections and sadly never a fully stocked fridge… I mean, one day I hope it will, but damn I just like food too much for it to stay…
A better workspace means you’ll be more motivated to work. If you’re more motivated to work, those dreams you’ve got might just become reality a little sooner than you think!
4. Productivity
I get up at 7:30, take a shower, drink some green tea, sit down to work, and then get distracted by something in my house. As much as I want to stay productive and have an incredible morning routine where I hack every second after I get up at 4:30 am, it doesn’t always happen.
Part of that is my own fault (most of it…) but trying to work in a place full of distractions really isn’t helping anything. Coworking spaces are purposely designed to promote productivity and remove distractions whilst keeping you comfy.
That reason alone is why thousands of people decide to pay for a coworking space rather than stay in their home office all day. That said, don’t let your home office get out of control, it should still be a place that connotes a productive and work orientated environment.
5. Space to work
Unless you live in a converted warehouse, you probably don’t have the space needed for a decent walk around to refresh your thoughts. Sure, you can walk around your house, but as we’ve learned from the previous point, it’s full of distractions.
A coworking space on the other hand is purpose-built for work and has more than enough space. You’ll walk around, get some air, and nothing other than a piece of fruit, a nice view, plants, or a helpful book will grab your attention. Nothing as distracting or procrastination worthy as something in your home would be.
6. Work-life balance
If you’re a freelancer or trying to start your own business online, it can be easy to work for the entire day without a break. Those boundaries get crossed even further if you don’t have a dedicated space in your house to work from. That’s why working in your bed or on the sofa is never a good idea.
By paying for a coworking space, you can separate your entire house from work, which hopefully means you’ll never struggle to get to sleep or relax in your bedroom. It might sound silly, but separating your work from your play when you work from home is extremely important not only for your productivity but also for your mental health.
If you decided to work from home, don’t ever forget your reason. Yes, online businesses take a lot of work in the beginning, but you should frequently evaluate how far you’ve come since the beginning. Maybe it’s ok for you to take a day off every once in a while!
7. Structure
One of the biggest problems newbies face when working from home is often the lack of structure. You’ve gone from working dedicated hours, getting up at specific times, and catching the train every morning, to having absolutely no schedule.
How do we rectify this? Well, at some point you’ll have to set out your own daily schedule that involves working in your own house, but paying for a coworking space might be a great way to bridge the gap between your old job and this new life.
Final Thoughts
Coworking spaces won’t be right for everyone, but if you’re an aspiring digital nomad who’s looking for places to work while you travel, absolutely give these spaces a go! If you’re finding yourself bored with the monotony of working from home after a few months, it will probably be worth paying for a coworking space just to break up your day and add in a little structure.
Let me know in the comments what you think of coworking spaces, and whether you’d pay for them even if you have a home office!
