Our first guest blog is written by one of the North Bay’s experts on coworking: Natasha Juliana, owner/founder of WORK Petaluma. In this article, Natasha goes into the reasons why a cowork lifestyle matters in the current economic environment, and will remain relevant for a long time to come. (Edited by coWORKer Linda Jay.)
Why Coworking?
It’s the 21st century and work is being redefined in more ways than one. If you find yourself living in this new economy, the benefits of coworking can add up quickly.
The Office.
This used to be a single building you sat in from 9 to 5 Monday through Friday. But the digital age has brought with it the potential for unprecedented freedom and flexibility. With the aid of a laptop and cell phone, many jobs can be performed from the location of your choosing.
Working by yourself and never leaving your house can become extremely isolating.
If you can work from anywhere, where will you do your best work? Working from home has its advantages… and disadvantages. It’s conveniently located, but also full of distractions — laundry, TV, refrigerator, dog, kids, all vying for your attention. It’s free, but it might not have the amenities you desire — a conference room, whiteboard, printer, and high-quality copy machine can come in handy.
Coworking gives you the good parts of having an office, for a fraction of the cost of setting up your own space, with the flexibility to accommodate your changing needs.
The People.
Yes, we live in a digital world, but people are still social animals. Most jobs used to have coworkers built in, but with the growing trend toward freelancing, telecommuting, and entrepreneurism, you may find yourself alone. Working by yourself and never leaving your house can become extremely isolating. Many people are taking to the coffee shop, but this is a short-term solution. A forty-hour week spent in Starbucks will leave your back aching and your brain jacked up on too much caffeine.
Coworking gives you the benefits of coworkers by filling the workspace with other professionals. It’s a great way to connect with the local business community, make friends, and enjoy a little water cooler chit-chat. And surrounding yourself with productive people can increase your own productivity. You’re much less likely to waste an hour scrolling through Facebook when the person sitting next to you is hard at work.
The Ideas.
Sharing knowledge used to be called cheating or stealing. Now, it is becoming the norm. Working in a vacuum can limit your potential and slow down your progress. Bouncing ideas off your cat can be futile, but bouncing ideas off coworkers can be inspiring and transformative.
This advantage is compounded by the fact that so many different professions are housed under one roof. Need help with your website? There’s a WordPress expert sitting next to you. Wondering if you should use a semicolon? There’s an editor across from you. Thinking about putting your new venture on Kickstarter? There’s a startup behind you that was successfully funded.
Now those are some big benefits worth cashing in on! Coworking may start off as a shared office, but it quickly morphs into a whole new way of working.
Want to learn more about new ways of working? Check out the book Remote by 37Signals founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson.
Natasha Juliana
Owner/Founder at WORK Petaluma
