Coworking spaces have revolutionized the work industry. Small businesses have a place to call home, entrepreneurs are surrounded by other driven business owners, and young professionals step into a bustling, motivating professional culture as they find their niche.
In addition, the current COVID-19 pandemic is offering coworking spaces a unique benefit that may push them to the top. Professionals across the globe have demonstrated their ability to work remotely and succeed with a more flexible work-life balance. Physical location is no longer necessary for team projects and all-office meetings as technology meets our demand for collaborative functions.
All in all, the use of coworking spaces is about to make a major jump as pandemic restrictions are lifted and employees push for more flexibility on remote work.
Coworking spaces may seem like the holy grail of office culture with their endless list of perks and possibilities. But, there is a learning curve of how to motivate yourself without coworkers nearby and what to do when the perks overpower productivity.
It’s true that there is a correlation between productivity and physical space. If you are comfortable and happy in your workspace, pouring fresh coffee every hour, you are going to work more efficiently than, say, in a cubicle with archaic monitors and the AC turned too high.
So what happens when your surroundings become endless sidetracks? What happens when you are surrounded by too much of a good thing?
For example, here are some things that make me happy and comfortable while I work:
- Free coffee
- Unlimited snacks
- Comfy chairs
- Super cool people
Here are some things that make me distracted while I work:
- Free coffee
- Unlimited snacks
- Comfy chairs
- Super cool people
Get the idea?
Physical location is no longer necessary for team projects and all-office meetings as technology meets our demand for collaborative functions.
Here are some tips on how to avoid letting the “good things” become “too much”:
Dress the Part
Remember that old saying “if you dress well, you test well”? Well, it turns out our childhood teachers were on to something. When you work at a coworking space, it is easy to consider throwing on your favorite yoga pants and oversized sweater in order to achieve ULTIMATE comfort all day long. But what happens is you tell your brain that you are in “chill mode,” and it will start thinking more about couches and your latest Netflix binge, rather than maintaining your motivation for work tasks.
INSTEAD, pick out an outfit that makes you feel like a confident boss babe and strut into your coworking space as if you own the place. Your demeanor and confidence not only channels your brain into a productive work mode but also gives you an excuse to dig out that cute blazer hiding in the back of your closet.
Earn your Breaks
We are talking about GOAL SETTING here. It’s easy to get bogged down by a long project. You start thinking about how you might need a fresh cup of coffee, or maybe you should take a second to stretch your legs… but when you act on those impulses right away, what’s stopping you from doing it again in 5 minutes? There is so much around you that can draw your focus away from your work task at hand, and those distractions aren’t leaving anytime soon. What you need to do is EARN that mental break.
Break up a project into major parts and decide your break reward ahead of time. This way, you will have the mentality of running to the finish line, rather than stopping at your first pang of fatigue. Another helpful tip is to time your breaks. Once it’s time for you to take your well-deserved walk around the building, set a specific amount of time for you to clear your head. Now you will have earned your break while still maintaining a set schedule of when to put your thinking hat back on.
Remember Others are Working
One of the biggest perks of a coworking space is that you are surrounded by motivated, intelligent professionals. Talking with and learning from people you look up to is beneficial to your own growth and becomes a great understanding of yourself in the workforce. Every day you could be sitting by a different CEO or budding business owner, and the desire to talk with them about their professional progress is hard to tame. So you have to remember that you and everyone in the workspace are there for just that: work.
While friendly chatter is encouraged over a coffee refill, you don’t want to disrupt the flow of somebody working hard nearby. You never know when your small interjection could mean missing a deadline or forgetting a promising plotline for the final chapter of the next Best-Seller. So always remember, just because you have a small break to chat about the weekend, others may be posting a mental “Do Not Disturb” sign.
Isolation Spot
When in doubt, go to time out. If your day’s coworking culture is just too much for you, find a backup spot. We all have days when distractions come a bit too easily and we can’t seem to find a steady work groove. Rather than blaming your surroundings for the distractions, remove yourself from the equation. This could be turning your chair to face the wall and turning up the tunes, or completely finding a new location to set up camp. Most coworking spaces have designated areas for quiet, independent work. Find a desk with a divider or an unused room with a door and hunker down distraction-free.
While some distractions are hard to avoid, there are always solutions and problem-solving tips to implement in your workflow. When it comes to coworking spaces, the perks truly outweigh the distractions. As long as you maintain the balance and avoid having too much of a good thing, you will find your productivity and work-life balance improve while working among a community.
And I think we can all agree that free coffee will never be too much of a good thing.
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