Making the Transition from Home Office to Co-working Space

Due to COVID-19, the majority of office workers have been obliged to work from home. For some, this was a shock to the system. Those used to corporate office structures were suddenly thrown in the deep end of remote working. While for others, the discovery of a working environment that offers ultimate flexibility was a welcome revelation.

Now as we navigate the current limbo between lockdown life and 'normality', thought of returning to traditional office life may fill some with dread while solopreneurs and freelancers may find themselves craving the company of coworkers.

This ladies and gents, is where coworking spaces really come into their own.

Coworking spaces can offer members many of the same benefits that working from home does = flexible working hours, reduced overheads, reduced distractions, relaxed working environment - with more life and like-minded individuals about the place.

With the opportunity to increase networking opportunities (mostly diminished in a work-from-home structure), access resources and equipment, define a better work-life balance and also provide a more professional environment for meeting prospective and existing clients, members of co-working spaces balance the best of both work from home and traditional offices.

So here's what to expect from the transition between the home office to coworking space:

Logistics

One of the first things you'll need to prepare for is what you need to take with you to your new coworking space. Given the extensive resources available at Ormeau Baths and coworking spaces in general, this is likely to be a lot less than you may expect.

Consider desk arrangements. Will you need to bring your own chair? Do you need desk storage? Is there secure storage options? What's the parking situation like? Is it on-street or is there dedicated parking available?

With the logistics taken care of it's on to the fun stuff and everything you can look forward to as part of the transition from home-office to coworking space.

Accountability

One of the hardest parts of working from home can be a lack of accountability. Although other family members or partners may also be working from home, no one is really going to know if you sneak an extra-long lunch break or sleep in a little, right?

Within a coworking space, there's the added drive of having others around you to hold you accountable. Even just being in the company of like-minded creatives, entrepreneurs and business owners, that physical shift in environments to somewhere more professional and not right next door to your bedroom is enough to switch your mindset into one that's more productive.

Working with others

Even the most introverted of people reach a limit where working from home is just a little too isolating and lonely. Tools like Slack, Zoom and Skype have offered substitutes to real-life meetings over the last few months but with safety measures in place, there's nothing better than face to face, real human interaction. Having a co-working space where you can be around others at similar stages in their business or career can really help to get your creative juices flowing.

Ready to switch up your home-office and join the co-working community? Click here to find out more.