14 . May . 2020

Does Coworking Fit Your Needs?

by ZIOKS

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Zioks: Does Coworking Fit Your Needs?

What we consider the “workplace” is currently changing. For the modern entrepreneur, there’s a desire to create the perfect work-life balance, and a popular solution is coworking. Coworking comes with a huge bracket of benefits that apply to any member within the space, whether they be a freelancer or a corporate employee. For example, coworking spaces have less infrastructure needs and expenses. It’s all taken care of by coworking space managers.

But does that mean that coworking is for everyone? Well, it comes down to the environment you need while working. Sometimes, freelancers become a coworking member only to discover they’re more comfortable or efficient working from home. You might be unsure about your current work needs and how you prefer to work may change from time-to-time. To discover whether coworking is currently a suitable option for you, ask yourself the following questions!

  1. What’s Your Purpose for Joining a CoWorking space?

CoWorking environments are designed particularly to facilitate collaboration as well as support meaningful relationships between organizations and individuals. Therefore, if building a solid network is crucial for your work, a coworking space is a great option.

Here are some of the goals that a few coworkers have set before entering a new coworking space:

I wanted to connect with people who have similar aspirations, I believe this will help me stay motivated.” – Tamal

It’s great for keeping overheads down, building a team environment when the company is growing and is better for productivity by allowing people who would normally have to work from home get the buzz and motivation of an office environment.” – Agniv

If you’re not interested in collaborating for business reasons and simply want more social opportunities or energy around you, then coworking is still suitable. You can hire more private seating, surprisingly even those who become a member to focus, still opt for a hot desk. They feel that they work better when productive noise is going on around them. Of course, the space itself can only do so much, it will always partially come down to your own proactiveness and discipline.

  1. Do You Get Easily Distracted While Working?

Here, you have to be honest with yourself. How easily do you get distracted by the activity around you? Have you ever worked in a similar environment, and if so, could you focus? Chances are, if you could work amongst the noise of a coffee shop, a coworking space will be a breeze. Some people will do this quickly, while others will continue networking or socializing. Some spaces will facilitate networking opportunities, setting space wide coffee breaks so different parties can meet. It’s up to you to know whether you should participate or not, making the distinction between networking, socializing and distraction.

Our ability to be productive can be stopped by the way our brains work. Generally, we can only (productively) use one sense for one purpose at a time. It’s the reason we find it more difficult to write while listening to lyrical music, because both events are received by the same part of your brain. If this sounds like something you struggle with then perhaps it’d be better for you to hire a personal pod or a small office suite. If you find your visual and auditory senses can be stimulated by multiple things without your productivity being affected, then you should embrace the experience of open workstations and collaboration areas. You may find your seating preferences changes during different stages of business development and it’s important to change your membership plan to meet your current needs.

Coworking is flexible and the way you spend your time can be ultra productive. Whenever you decide to take a break, you have access to a gym, recreational room or cafeteria. All of these facilities have their benefits, but only in moderation. Working out at the gym will help you relieve stress, regain focus and probably give you some energy, but it’s not what you’re there for. It’s about self control and being able to recognize if you’re using other facilities as a distraction, rather than productivity builders.

  1. Do you find yourself most creative when you’re surrounded by other creative people?

Human beings are social creatures who are continuously learning from everything around them. According to Harvard Business Review, coworking spaces facilitate a feeling of community that shares contagious productivity—given that everyone can manage how often they’re socializing for a break.

Coworking spaces are made to encourage interaction between different members, this is always optional. We host events to help members network or create social bonds. Friendship with your fellow members is a great way to boost motivation and is often what leads to new business ideas.

  1. Are you comfortable sharing your ideas?

The stark difference between an office space and coworking space is that coworking members have a wider range of modern business knowledge at their disposal. Often, when we keep business ideas completely to ourselves, once we finally put them in action or launch them, we discover that someone else has done or knows a much more effective way of implementing your idea. Coworking spaces help in discovering more value within your ideas through the collaboration and expertise of other individuals. If using a coworking space for collaborative purposes, it’s best to feel comfortable sharing your ideas!

  1. Do you function well in flexibility?

Often, when people first start with coworking, they become overwhelmed. There’s so much freedom compared to a traditional office and it’s a lot more social compared to working from home. This creates an adjustment period where members may lose some discipline, but this is common when settling into a new space.

Flexibility also refers to one’s business—do you see yourself scaling up or scaling down? Depending on current business requirements, you might be periodically switching between open workstations to multi-seat offices. Your seating could change per business requirements and preference. If you’re comfortable with that, then you’ll find coworking efficient.

Conclusion

Depending on personal preferences, coworking will represent more or less value. It’s about experiencing it and comparing it to other workplace options you have. The value of a coworking space comes from a mixture of business growth, and your wellbeing and convenience. If you’re keen to network and socialize then coworking is undoubtedly for you, if you’re just looking for a focused workplace, coworking has options to suit your needs. We at Zioks, believe in designing coworking spaces that  serve you entirely. To get the best gauge of your compatibility with coworking, consider joining the coworking community at Zioks.

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