6 Signs You Need A Coworking Space
1. You haven’t spoken to anyone in 48 hours
Part of the magic of being a freelancer is the freedom to work from home in your pyjamas. But one day of staying at home can easily turn into two or three days in a row, and before you know it, you haven’t seen anyone in a week. Some people thrive on this kind of solitude – but if you find yourself talking too often to your cat or TV, or telling your life story to your mailman, it may be time to leave the apartment and find a more social working environment.
2. You’re spending a small fortune on coffee
So you’ve found a charming, cosy café that you can work from every day. There’s just one problem: that flat white doesn’t come cheap. Especially when you need to keep buying one cup after another to justify your prolonged stay in the coffee shop. As the cost of your daily caffeine fix keeps piling up, you’re left with two solutions: becoming best friends with your barista, or finding a workspace that gives you free coffee. We know which one we’d pick.
3. You can’t hear yourself think
Let’s say you decide to keep working in a café, undeterred by the cost of coffee. Sure, the ambiance is nice – but is it helping your productivity? In between the background chatter and the constant stream of people coming in and out, it’s easy to get distracted. And then there’s the bathroom situation: should you risk leaving your laptop unattended, or lug it with you every time nature calls? All these seemingly small inconveniences add up, affecting your focus and taking precious time away from your work. Coworking, with its mix of lively social spaces and designated quiet zones, can give you the best of both worlds, without compromising your productivity.
4. Your business is stuck in a rut
If you shudder at the thought of yet another networking event, or you just can’t seem to grow your client base, it may be time for a change. Why not find a coworking space where you can make business connections organically? With so many startups and solopreneurs concentrated in one spot, you’ve got a good chance of snagging some freelance projects, building useful contacts, or even finding a business partner. It comes down to this: would you rather discover some great opportunities for collaboration over a cup of coffee, or drag yourself to an event packed with overeager networkers?
5. You’re a walking hygiene disaster
A big perk of remote work is that you don’t need to worry about making yourself look presentable every day. But it’s a slippery slope: first you start feeling “a bit lazy”, then the next thing you know, you haven’t showered or changed your clothes for a few days. If this happens, it’s a sign that you need to invite hygiene back into your life as soon as possible. A part-time coworking membership could be the ideal solution: it still gives you the ability to work from home, while providing you with a good excuse to tidy up for a “day at the office” every now and then. Trust us: you don’t want your friends to start calling you Mr. or Mrs. Slob.
6. Your home office is just not cutting it
As satisfying as it is to break out of the cubicle, there are times when the convenience of having an office is undeniable. Imagine you have important clients visiting and you have nowhere to host them; or that your home printer has broken down just when you need it the most. Working outside the trappings of a traditional office can be freeing – but it also makes it harder to maintain a professional image. What if you could have access to meeting rooms and printing services, without settling for the stuffiness of corporate life? That’s coworking in a nutshell.
Curious to see what coworking is all about? Come explore The Working Capitol with our complimentary day pass.
