Coworking office - to pay or not to pay?

17 Aug

I pay to not work at home.

Yup, you heard me - I could work from home, for "free" (if you don't count utilities cost... the again, why would you not count those costs?) but I choose to mix it up with a co-working office, for a monthly fee. Now, why would I do that?

Here's my experience:

Cons of a co-working space:
⛔ hours limited to 9-5, Mon-Fri (unless you pay for top tier access)
⛔ there's always that ONE person having a loud Zoom meeting (if you can't spot them, it's you 👀)
⛔ no cat cuddles 🙀

Pros of a co-working space:
✅ helps break up the monotony of your surroundings (improves cognitive function and brain rest)
✅ forces me outside (20 mins walk 🌳 calms the nervous system)
✅ casual and comfortable networking opportunities
✅ super fast and reliable WiFi
✅ tax-deductible business cost
✅ flexible hours - you get hours per month and use them however you want across that month
✅ tea and coffee included
✅ cats not running across my keyboard every hour on the hour 😼

Of course this is based on my experience at Edventure (in The Welsh Mill Hub in Frome) - some coworking offices make you commit to particular days, or might not have the same things included in the price.

Clearly the pros of a coworking space outweigh the cons…

…but in my eyes, it's still a no-brainer - I do love working from home.

It’s my safe space - it has my pets, my tea, my yoga mat, my dumbbells - it’s the place I work when I am feeling rundown, need to withdraw, or feel overstimulated and need to reset. I love that flexibility and comfort.

And for me to agree to being in an office, any office, I need to know I can have the same needs met; An environment that is up to me to adjust (which desk I get to work at, being able to come and go as I please/need (hello, super-varied freelancer diary!), and social battery being filled at a pace that suits ME. (Oh, and access to a kettle because my brain is fuelled by tea 🍵)

Of course, I know I need to be flexible, I need to meet my clients where I can, compromise if needed - but a compromise is coming together to a new understanding, not abandoning what makes me work at my best. So the one thing I won’t compromise on is my ability to think clearly. Focus. After all, if I can’t have that, my company will go under! So on that happy new note… 😉

Is paying for a coworking office worth it?

I find that hybrid working works best for me - the cognitive and mental health benefits of mixing up working from home, office, online and in-person far outweigh the monthly costs. The opportunities to network casually while in the office (unlike an employed office, where you’re around colleagues who all work for the same company), in a coworking office you’re around many other companies / small businesses - it’s such a goldmine for local connections!

For those of you lucky enough to have a dedicated home office space - which I don’t, I work from my living room - don’t think I’ve forgotten you! A closed door and a separate room often aren’t enough to stop the distractions coming in. Whether it’s kids, or your partner, needing just that one question answered, hey super quick, sorry to bother you…that’s 20 minutes of focus gone. Frustrating, right?!

I saved my most favourite pro for last - the freedom. The freedom to lean into our energy, to adjust the environment for deep focus - after all, how can we be expected to do our best work, if we can’t have autonomy over the surroundings we work in?

Do you use a co-working space? Or leave home to work elsewhere every now and then? Let me know on my socials!