Whether working for a company or for yourself, working from home can seem like the perfect situation—until it isn’t. Once the honeymoon phase wears off, you’re left with an empty dishwasher but a full inbox or the reverse.
“Working from home is great when it’s a sunny summer day and you can work outside but there’s something about being around other people that can inspire you and make you even more productive,” eMarketplace Management’s Jillian Dunbar says of trading her home office for a collaborative workspace. Here are four more reasons to consider.
Maintain work-life balance
It’s easy to get wrapped up in the day to day of your environment. A quick load of laundry, taking the dog for a walk, starting the crockpot, and next thing you know, your Slack is blowing up and the workday is already half over. Confining yourself to a dedicated workspace instills forced productivity while surrounding yourself with other driven individuals.
Curb workaholic tendencies
Conversely, if you have a hard time shutting off email, it can be easy to work around the clock while letting your home and personal life slip. Productivity doesn’t mean constantly being available but rather making the most out of the hours you work. Just like you would go into the office, showing up to a collaborative workspace every day gives you structure in your otherwise hectic day.
Find creative inspiration
There’s more to a collaborative workspace than renting a desk and using the printer. Working in a modern infrastructure with amenities to match allows you to draw creative inspiration while focusing on the task at hand without the hassle of changing printer cartridges or dealing with the paperwork that goes along with leasing separate office space.
Engage in networking opportunities
Take advantage of the social aspect of a collaborative workspace. In addition to water cooler talk, engage in any happy hours or other professional development events that the space hosts. Every member is in the same position as you, so use your time wisely to pick brains and make connections that extend beyond the communal kitchen.
The Cooperative Venture Workspace is evolution of the creative, shared workspace.