Nov 21, 2014
The term “coworking” brings several things to mind. This sounds new, hip, fancy. But to many of us, this may appear intimidating. How can this help you as well as your business? And why should you try this out?
This is true that not every coworking space is created equally but you will need to take a while to figure out the best one for you. There are several benefits which the phenomenon of coworking offers to the members and these are too significant to be ignored or overlooked. Here is a detailed discussion of the apprehensions which come to mind while opting for a coworking space.
Are you bothered about the expense?
While working from your library or home, this might not be the perfect environment for you to be adequately productive. Many of us opt to resort to a nearby coffee shop and take this as a perfect standby but even that is not a perfect alternative for meeting your client or to work for long hours as there is often commotion or distraction.
Each of us has a budget and so all you require is to find a good coworking space which fits all your professional workspace requirement in a perfect way. If budget is stopping yourself from joining a high-energy & vibrant coworking space, then you are mistaken. It is cost-effective as compared to a private office. However, the money that you spend on it is a good investment for yourself, your network as well as your projects.
Are you worried about the distractions?
When you opt to work from home, you can enjoy the silence if you don’t have your kids around. The quietness and peace that you get at home are considered special.
However, even if there is enough silence at your home, there can be several other distractions like you would tend to watch television for a while, roam around and grab a bite from your fridge, etc. Many of us mischaracterize any coworking space as being a distracting place. There is a perception that people roam around for accomplishing their work. There are several coworking spaces in Mumbai which have “quiet areas” where you can easily escape the buzz or rather you can say there are designated spots in the coworking spaces for socializing but the work stations are free from any distraction.
So, we can safely conclude that the coworking spaces offer the desired perfect balance. While the silence in your home may be preferable to you but in the long run, this can be isolating. When you opt for a coworking space, this will give you an opportunity to feed off that desired positive energy of several like-minded professionals while at the same time carving out that tiny bubble for yourself to lock in and be as productive as you always intended to be.
Are you really concerned about someone else stealing your ideas?
When you are operating from a coworking space, this gives you an opportunity to meet people with similar ambitions & interests. You will meet other entrepreneurs who are also working to get their business flourishing. As you initiate to see some familiar faces, this would be a common practice to bounce the ideas off each other.
Now, a lot of us are apprehensive about what if someone takes our ideas. Theoretically, a potential risk persists but the chances of some other coworker taking your ideas are actually zero. The entrepreneurs & professionals in the coworking spaces are already engaged with several things and their plate is full. Showing some interest in your project does not actually mean that they would steal your ideas. Your idea is unique as this is your own. You have your individual set of perspectives & experiences to the idea & make that what it ought to be. Collaboration with other coworkers will help you in expanding your vision & make your business flourish better.
A list of most annoying things that coworkers do and tips to handle them.
Are you an introvert and shying away from a coworking space?
The very first time when you enter a coworking space, there are chances that you may feel a bit intimidated. The frequent visitors will know each other and then a connection builds up with the coworkers over time. Even the introverts find a coworking space extremely comfortable as the coworkers are incredibly friendly. The number of people who opt to freelance from coworking spaces is rapidly growing every day. You will certainly find it easy to connect with these people. All you got to do is to try.
There can be several reasons which might refrain you from adopting the coworking spaces but by now the coworking spaces have been time-proven to be effective for a large community of freelancers, entrepreneurs and those who like to work independently on their own. The best way to escape all the myths is to try a coworking space all by yourself & witness how it improves your productivity.