While working from home has its benefits such as skipping out on long lines of traffic, there can be some disadvantages. Depending on the scope of work you do, it’s important to consider whether working from home will provide benefits in the long run. If not, you might want to consider the coworking experience. Before you start looking to book a coworking office space, consider a few of the following factors first.
Profitability
Just because you can afford something doesn’t mean it makes sense in the grand scheme of things. Take a fine-tooth comb approach to your finances to see if how much of an impact a coworking space might provide. If you’re able to be more productive in a coworking environment and make more money with the focused hours you have, it might be worth it. You’ll also want to look deeply into how the coworking rental cost will cut into your ability to remain profitable and ask yourself “is coworking worth it?” If it decreases your profit margin in a way that doesn’t make sense, it’s not worth it. For some people, the expense provides an undeniable return in other ways that it makes sense to the bigger picture. Before pulling out your credit card, take a closer look at your finances first.
Concentration
While working from home can be nice because you can walk around in your pajamas, it can also be really difficult for anyone who struggles with focusing on one task. After all, there’s a pile of laundry that needs folding. The children are asking for snacks and the to-do list only grows by the minute. By getting a change of scenery, it’s much easier to focus on one task at a time. For many people, a coworking space is essential for their ability to be unavailable to others for an extended number of hours during the workday. This is especially true for those who don’t have a designated work area in the home. This means that it’s much harder to focus because there’s no peace or privacy. If privacy and peace are paramount to your ability to focus on producing great work, a coworking space is worth it.
Storage
When you’re reserving a coworking space, you’ll need to think about what you’ll need it for. If you’re an online boutique owner with a lot of inventory, you’ll need more than most coworking spaces can offer. You might need a private office rental. However, if you’re able to remain flexible, work with a laptop and move out of a space within a matter of minutes, a coworking space is a great idea. You’ll also need to look at the offerings that coworking companies provide. If they have long-term rental options available, this can be a viable option for someone who needs more storage space. Even though it might be cheaper to keep supplies at home, it might be a lot more convenient and bearable to keep them secured in an office space.
Community
As the world becomes well-versed in the ability to embrace digital media, there are a few pitfalls. As a result of interacting through screens and phones, a lot of people are missing out on human interactions. This leads to loneliness. There’s been an increase in loneliness, isolation, and depression due to the lack of human interactions and technology. When you’re working in a shared office space, it’s a lot easier to meet people, network with others, and develop relationships. For someone who’s alone a lot, the ability to develop a sense of community in a coworking environment is worth looking into.
Professional Appeal
If you have to host in-person business meetings and talk to clients, it can be really awkward and unprofessional to meet at your place of residence. It can also be dangerous because sometimes, you’re meeting with people you don’t actually know. Meeting at a public location is much safer. If you know you’ll need to interact with clients and deal with in-person situations more, a coworking space is an excellent investment.
