5 Reasons Why You Should Work in a Coworking Space Instead of a Coffee Shop

Coffee shops made their rise in the era of remote work. What was once a place to meet with friends has transformed into a place flooded with business people taking meetings, signing contracts and heads down trying, unsuccessfully, to get things done amidst blaring music. All the while, your butt is sore from sitting in painful chairs all day.

Jason Fried, founder of Basecamp and author of Rework, a #1 Best Selling book in Business, was one of the first CEOs to decide that having a remote team was more impactful than a location-dependent team. His book, written in 2010, focuses on the rise in remote work and how businesses can use it to amplify their results. Fried was ahead of the curve. In 2017, Basecamp’s net worth hit $100 million.

In a recent press release, freelance platform Upwork revealed that freelancers are predicted to make up more than 50% of the U.S. workforce within the next decade.

This decoupling of “work” and “office” has helped created a new trend in work friendly coffee shops that established something better.

Coworking spaces.

One major differentiator between coffee shops and coworking spaces are amenities. A coffee shop can provide you with a cup of coffee and a scone in return for access to their WiFi. Most coworking spaces give unlimited coffee and tea (often from your favorite local place anyway!), snacks, private conference areas, innovative business equipment, free access to business events, and a network of business leaders to rub shoulders with all for the same, if not less cost, as that cup of coffee. But there’s more.

Here are the five benefits of working in a coworking space instead of a coffee shop.

Coworking spaces help you create work-life harmony.

A recent study by Emergent Research found that more than 80% of coworking space members feel generally happier after they joined a coworking space. One of the biggest reasons entrepreneurs get divorced is the inability to separate work from life. As more workers enter the remote workforce, this problem will become more problematic as there is no more 9–5 schedule, nor visual queue that it’s time to stop. Couples have stated coworking helped create a home/work balance that simmers those workaholic-type tendencies. Don’t get me wrong. I am typing this at 10pm on a Sunday. Sometimes we’ve got to get things done when we are most effective. This is the benefit of being a remote worker or entrepreneur. We just need to be careful about letting it consume us. Being able to separate and leave work at work, was standard when we had an office to clock in to. But now we need to learn self discipline in managing our time and making room for more than just work. Sometimes we just need a physical space to remind us of that. That being said, I’m going to take a quick coffee break. BRB.

“80% of coworking space members feel generally happier after they joined a coworking space.”

Coworking spaces have private areas for Zoom/Skype/Phone Calls.

Espresso machines and conference calls don’t mix well. The harsh whirring noise of the espresso machine and the often abrupt noise of several conversations taking place make coffee shops a difficult setting for an important call. Coworking spaces offer private, quiet and soundproof Zoom/Skype/Phone call rooms to maximize the efficiency and professionalism of phone calls and video conferences. Instead of apologizing for distracting background noise, coworking members can focus on their conversation and extract what actions they need to accomplish their next objective.

Coworking spaces provide members the latest in workspace innovation.

Thinking of testing out a treadmill desk? Interested in how a standing desk affects your output? Try our RebelDesk. Notice your slouching getting worse? You might try our Heckler Design monitor risers. Unlike coffee shops, coworking spaces are designed for productivity. At CO+HOOTS, we are always bringing in the newest workspace technology and devices to help our members perform at top speed, maintain their physical health and improve their mental clarity. And it doesn’t stop at just furniture, coworking spaces are hubs of new software and innovation companies. Stuck with keeping up with all your marketing needs? Try Design Pickle, a monthly subscription for design. Scaling your team? Onboard them quickly with a training platform like Trainual. Your exposure to technology to make your life more efficient is just a desk away.

“Let’s face it. Remote work sounded awesome when you first started. Now it’s really freaking lonely.”

Coworking spaces give members free access to professional, personal and technical growth events.

CEO’, founders and c-suite executives seem to all have the same advice for remote workers and new business owners. You’re not alone. Stop trying to do everything on your own. Most coworking spaces give members access to educational events that can accelerate their productivity and business scalability. If you’re just starting out and are looking for someone to talk to, coworking spaces are huge cheerleaders for you. Many spaces offer free programming and classes to accelerate you through any hurdles you might be facing. We host more than 350 a year focused on specific business topics, but other spaces might specialize in other topics like cyber security, monetizing blogs, etc. Business leaders and remote workers who learn, profit ten fold.

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time around. If all of those people were thriving business leaders, how would your life change?”

Coworking spaces are a network of hustling business leaders with insights and advice.

Let’s face it. Remote work sounded awesome when you first started. Now it’s really freaking lonely. The network of amazing people that flock to coworking spaces is one of the biggest reasons coworking spaces are lapping coffee shops in benefits for remote workers and the business community in general. When remote workers are surrounded by a diverse group of talented and skilled professionals from different industries, the knowledge sharing over a lunch and off-the-cuff brainstorming sessions improves business, professional and personal development. I promise you, what you are struggling with today, is not new. It is not unique to you. But how do you get through it? Find someone who has been through it. Where do you find someone who has been through it? I’ll let you think about that one.

You are the average of the five people you spend the most time around. If all of those people were thriving business leaders, how would your life change?

Coffee shops as an alternative workplace made their rise, but then they plateaued. The value they can provide to the new location-independent workforce starts with fancy coffee and ends with a cranberry scone. The value coworking spaces can provide is transforming businesses around the world.

To learn more about the benefits that CO+HOOTS offers our members, click here. Interested in finding your coworking home? Sign up for a 30-day Coworking Visa to visit all the local coworking spaces across AZ.

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Originally published on Medium. To read more posts from our founder, click here.