5 Reasons to Try the Coworking Trend

February 10, 2015 • Devin Partida

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How do you earn an income?

Years ago, to make a living, if you were like most other Americans, you’d apply to a job, hope to pass a series of interviews and hopefully land a gig you enjoyed.

These days, for whatever reason – whether it’s the fact that Americans are an independent bunch or that companies are hesitant to give employees benefits – that maxim appears to be going the way of the dodo. In fact, recent research indicates that as much as 40 percent of the American workforce will be freelancers and contractors by 2020 – that’s two out of every five workers, translating into about 60 million people.

If you find yourself freelancing, you might be one of the lucky ones who finds they are just as productive at home in their pajamas as they would be at the office. But there’s a good chance you might end up being someone who works from home and gets super depressed after some time due to social isolation.

Have You Heard of Coworking?

coworking trend

To sidestep that isolation, many freelancers are turning to coworking. Simply defined, coworking buildings are places where freelancers assemble to get work done – a shared office of sorts.

Rather than forking over a considerable chunk of change each month to rent their own office space, many freelancers are turning toward coworking facilities to hold meetings, network with other creative professionals or simply just get out of the house.

Because of these benefits, coworking is becoming extremely popular, with 90 percent of coworking facilities expecting to expand membership in 2015. With that in mind, let’s take a look at five reasons why it might be time for you to give the flexible working movement a chance:

  1. You’ll feel healthier. Those who’ve worked at home for an extended period of time will almost certainly tell you how monotonous it can get. After all, you’re the only one home. Sure, you can turn on some music or the TV, and you can even talk to yourself. But humans are social creatures, so there’s no substitute for human interaction. Believe it or not, 70 percent of coworkers indicated they were healthier than when they worked elsewhere.
  1. You’ll meet new people. Coworking spaces are stocked full of creative professionals. As such, you’re bound to meet new connections. These new people will likely inspire some new ideas.
  1. You’ll be satisfied. A shocking 92 percent of coworkers admit they have more confidence and are more satisfied than they were in previous working situations. Since happier workers are more productive, you can expect your output to increase when you join such a facility.
  1. You’ll be less distracted. At home, you can set the mood. You can work in silence if you want, or you could blast some music. Still, you’re at home, so you’re bound to be distracted when you set out to get your work done. For example, you might walk into the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee only to see a sink full of dishes. You might then decide to quickly do those dishes before getting back to work, only to have lost your train of thought. Coworking spaces are more like offices, so you should be able to better focus.
  1. You’ll make more money. Graphic designers need copywriters. Marketers need programmers. Indeed, the world of creative professionals weaves in and out of itself. Because these kinds of workers populate coworking spaces, there’s a good chance you’ll land some new work, finding the right match for your particular skillset.

Curious to give coworking a try? Believe it or not, there’s a slew of apps you can use to find the nearest spaces and start your new way of working. Good luck!

Images by StartupStockPhotos

 

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