What is co-working and why is the concept becoming increasingly popular among digital nomads?
There are reportedly more than 17,000 co-working spaces globally. With more and more people choosing to work remotely, they continue to grow in popularity.
Read on to find out what co-working spaces are and whether they are the right fit for your digital nomad lifestyle.
What is a co-working space?
Simply put, a co-working space is a shared office space. It’s ideal for remote workers since you can get access to office equipment like WiFi, desks and printers without being fixed to a permanent location.
You don’t need to sign a long-term lease, meaning you can switch locations without worrying you’re flushing money down the drain.
The locations tend to be Instagrammable, and amenities like tea and coffee are often included in the price of the membership. What’s not to love?
What are the benefits of co-working?
Keep costs down
A major benefit of choosing a co-working space over a traditional office space is that it is significantly cheaper. You can rent co-working spaces by the month, the week… even by the day.
This means you only pay for the space when you’re using it. And you’ll pay a smaller fee than if you were renting a regular office because you’re sharing the space with people outside your organisation.
You get to leave your work at the “office”
Choosing a co-working space allows you to maintain a healthy distance between where you work and you rest.
Keeping your work life and personal life in the same space can make it challenging to switch off after the work day is done. In fact, working in your bedroom has been proven to cause increased levels of stress and anxiety.
By working in a co-working space, you can have the feeling of “leaving the office” at the end of the day. And you get to leave all your work-related worries behind with it.
Make connections with other remote workers
Another advantage of co-working spaces is the networking opportunities you’ll gain. You’ll get to work alongside people from different organisations every day.
These are people that you can bounce ideas off, have watercooler chats with, and potentially even collaborate with.
Many co-working spaces even host networking events where you can get to know your fellow co-workers. This is a great opportunity to meet people in the area and potentially find other digital nomads to explore with.
Be more productive
Co-working spaces are designed to enhance productivity. This is especially true if you are living somewhere with lots of background noise. Or if you find yourself tempted to reach for the remote control when you know you should be working.
Most co-working spaces offer different areas for different purposes. This means you can step into a meeting room if you need to hop on a Zoom call – or stay in the silent working space if you need to focus and avoid distractions.
Co-working vs co-living for digital nomads
Co-working is ideal for anyone that works from home and recognises that they could benefit from some distance between their work life and home life. You can think of a co-working space as a modern, communal office.
Co-living spaces, on the other hand, is a form of group housing where guests share common areas but have their own private bedroom. It’s a concept that’s growing in popularity among the digital nomad community.
The main advantage of co-living is that you can surround yourself with like-minded people while maintaining your privacy.
Some co-living spaces are designed specifically for digital nomads. This means they have co-working spaces built-in, so you can get the benefits of co-working and co-living at an affordable price.
For co-living organisations like Wooda, communal work spaces are designed to bring digital nomads together in a way that’s conducive to productivity and creativity. And the bedrooms are designed to provide the comfort of home.
What do you think of the co-working concept for digital nomads? Let us know in the comments below.
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