The shift in the workplace that has led to the creation of countless remote job opportunities has made working from home much more common than it once was, and for some workers, that can generate real challenges.
While a handful of people might find that they’re more productive working from home, most of those who work remotely will say that the struggle to meet deadlines is very real, especially amid the bedlam of hungry kids, needy pets, and household chores that also demand attention.
It can be nearly impossible to avoid such distractions, which makes coworking an appealing option.
Coworking? How Can That Help Me?
Coworking is a shared professional office space that provides access to high-speed internet and printing facilities, as well as meeting and conference rooms with everything you need for presentations, board meetings, and other work-related needs.
Chicago’s Brick & Mortar offers several different sites throughout the Windy City suburbs, so you can likely find an available workspace that’s close enough to your home that you’ll avoid those dreaded commutes.
But coworking might not be for everyone. We’ve looked at the pros and cons to help you determine if coworking is a good option for you.
Coworking: The Pros
There are many benefits to coworking, not only for people who are working remotely but also for those establishing a new business, and would rather invest available funds in their business venture rather than rental space.
Some key pros to coworking:
- Coworking is versatile. Coworking provides a professional work setting that can be used in myriad ways. You can sign up for a monthly membership, which provides you with traditional office if you miss the routine, you can snag a daily pass to interview prospective job candidates if all of your company’s work is done remotely, you can bring together your team for in-person updates on projects, or you can hold conferences with board members in a state-of-the-art space.
- You can save money. Coworking is much more affordable than renting traditional office space, and the opportunity to share utilities and high-speed internet is a significant cost-saving measure.
- You may see increased productivity. It’s not a lie that working from home is rife with challenges. Cats like to take up space on computer keyboards or across paperwork to be close to you since you’re there. Dogs will demand a walk, often in the middle of an important project. Kids – and sometimes spouses – seem to forget that work and home lives are two separate things, making it difficult to accomplish your work goals. Coworking allows you to focus on work when necessary, allowing you to give your family more attention when you are at home.
- You can reduce anxiety and feelings of being overwhelmed. Because working remotely does blur the lines between work and home life, having a professional space to use, whether that’s on a daily basis or only now and then, can help you better separate the two, reducing stress by allowing you to relax more at home rather than spending the time you are at home worrying about work.
- Say goodbye to isolation. When you use a coworking space, you have the opportunity to interact and network with other people, reducing the feelings of loneliness that can come with remote work, especially if your only method of communication is through Slack.
- There are perks. Chicago’s Brick & Mortar offers complimentary hot coffee, cold brew, and beer, ensuring that morning meetings will be more productive and evening meetings with potential clients will be more relaxed.
- Coworking can improve your mood. While remote working has been shown to reduce stress for some people, for others, it can result in mood changes or depression. You might feel overwhelmed if you’re surrounded by nothing but work while at home, which can lead to burnout. Coworking can help you feel less isolated from your job and can help prevent you from taking on a higher workload, which is hard to avoid when you are never separated from your workspace.
Coworking: The Cons
Truth be told, unless you choose a coworking space that’s overcrowded or poorly designed, there are very few negative aspects associated with coworking, especially if you are currently working remotely and find it difficult to manage your own personal juggling act.
Still, there are a few things you might see as negatives, depending on how you work.
- There can still be distractions. While you won’t be dealing with pets, kids, household chores, and other disturbances that are difficult to ignore, if you are not using a private meeting or conference room, you might find the hum of phone calls a bit of an intrusion. Brick & Mortar recommends using noise-canceling headphones or taking advantage of on-site soundproof phone booths if you’re making a confidential call.
- You might sacrifice privacy. If you have trouble concentrating in a shared space and prefer the privacy of a solo space, coworking might not be for you.
Are You Interested?
For additional information about the benefits of coworking, and to find out how it might make your work life easier and more efficient, call Brick & Mortar at (847) 777-3808 or click here to schedule a tour.
