The short answer? Absolutely!
But things are never quite that simple, are they?
Like most things in life, coworking spots have pros and cons. What works well for one freelancer might be exactly what turns another person away from the idea altogether. Maybe a sometimes-coworking arrangement is best for Person A, while an all-the-time coworking desk is optimal for Person B. Of course, Person C might prefer to hang out in her home office all day and never actually venture out into the world.
Different things work for different people, but coworking spots certainly have their advantages in the gig world. Let’s take a look at some of the positive benefits that come from sharing a workspace with like-minded freelancers.
1. Loss of Loneliness
Sure, working from home beats the fluorescent lighting and weird smells that emanate through traditional offices when lunchtime rolls around (or worse—when mealtime isn’t even in the picture), but most people who work remotely can attest to the fact that human interaction is an important part of the success-making equation.
Working from home can get pretty lonely. You don’t have to worry about the guy who loves to spread office gossip stopping at your desk, and the gal who files her nails all day won’t grate on your nerves when you’re in the comfort of your living room, but you also won’t have the camaraderie of sharing stories about your recent vacation or spilling the excitement about a project you have coming up on your calendar.
Coworking spots are filled with freelancers, independent contractors, and startups that embody the human appeal that happens around the real-life water cooler. Even if you never interact with anyone else throughout the day, it’s often nice to be surrounded by the energy of other people who are hard at work on their own projects. The coworking atmosphere provides a sense of inclusion and togetherness that isn’t available when you just hang out at your own address.
2. Breeding Ground for Brainstorming
You might have some pretty awesome ideas throughout the day. Wouldn’t it be great if you could share them with someone else?
It’s hard to do when you work from home. Yes, you can hop on forums or shoot your friend an email, but there’s something special about being able to brainstorm in real time.
Coworking spots are characterized by an assortment of talented people coming together into a single space. This means you’ll find creative folks who delve into design, wordsters who love to appeal to the powers of the alphabet, and artists who employ the use of multiple types of media. There are also people who love the analytical side of the world, working as coders, developers, accountants, finance experts, and anything that has to do with numbers or data.
What do all of these things have in common? They all need each other in some way. The website a developer is working on will need content. The content writer might need help understanding how freelance tax laws work. The accountant might need a website.
You see where we’re going with this, right? Everything is inter-related, and coworking spots enable people to shoot ideas off each other and absorb expert knowledge from others in a shared safe space.
3. Built-In Networking
This goes along with the point above, but there are other networking benefits, as well. Maybe you’re interested in finding a full-time job that isn’t all-gig-all-the-time. Plenty of startups rent workspaces in coworking spots. You might be grabbing coffee next to your future boss or eating a bagel beside your future business partner when you opt to work in a shared space.
Because there’s a lot of diversity in terms of the talents coworkers encompass, there are learning opportunities around every corner, and there are plenty of people who can help you build a strong network that can enhance your own business or become an essential component of something bigger.
Coworking spots also tend to feature happy hours, get-togethers, and other social activities that are specifically intended to bolster community interaction. Of course, the great thing here is that you aren’t obligated to attend anything since you’re not actually an employee.
4. Improved Productivity
Have you ever tried to work from home, only to discover that you suddenly want to wash the dishes, do the laundry, and scrub the grout? That’s a totally normal thing that many freelancers experience. When you’re removed from your home environment, it suddenly becomes so much easier to focus on the tasks at hand. If you’ve never tried getting out of your at-home office, do yourself a favor and try it for just one day. You might be amazed at how much more productive you are!
If you’re ready to see how you get along in the gig economy, WriterAccess can help. With a client roster that boasts of dozens of industries, hundreds of topics, and thousands of clients, there are plenty of ways to stretch your creative mind and get your gig juices flowing. Check out our writer FAQs to learn a little bit more!
Kristin B is interested in anything that teaches her something new or gives her a different perspective on something she already knew. She’s a self-proclaimed Learn Nerd, which means the world is her educational oyster, and she’s always seeking opportunities to learn from life’s experiences and her clients’ assignments.
