When you’re a remote employee or own your own business, you have the freedom of working from anywhere you please. Companies are becoming more progressive and allowing their employees to work from home. In fact, contingent workers are set to exceed 40% of the workforce by the year 2020, thanks to new technology that allows them to work from anywhere on the planet. Plus, thanks to the restructuring of our economy, people won’t be required to commute to their boring office cubicles and can instead work from home, coffee shops, or coworking spaces.
Choosing a workspace is a very personal choice and will vary from person to person. While some will flourish working from their home offices, others will find this situation boring, lonely, and dull. Some need to work in busy places such as coffee shops or coworking spaces to be productive. If you’re the type of person who can’t work from home, here are some differences between working at a local coffee shop and working from a coworking space.
Coffee shops
Working at a coffee shop is like a dream come true for many. The busy atmosphere, coffee and treats, and all the people make it fun to work in such a space—or so one thinks! A popular choice for many freelancers and remote employees, working from a coffee shop does allow for free internet access, comfy chairs and tables, and delicious coffee and treats, but it can also be quite distracting.
Although many coffee shops offer a small amount of ambient noise that will stimulate your creative juices and help you work, some might find that people-watching and all the commotion distracts them from their actual work. If the coffee shop is experiencing its busy time of the day, you’ll find that a huge influx of people could disturb your workflow.
Plus, the coffee shop might experience the occasional Wi-Fi issue, which could slow down your work. If you get there too late, you might not find an ideal seat or table to work from or even worse—you’ll have to sit somewhere that doesn’t have a power outlet! If you ever go to the bathroom, you risk losing your space by having to pack up and carry all your things to the bathroom with you in fear of having your belongings stolen. Finally, while many coffee shops allow individuals to work from their space, some owners aren’t so supportive. Some actively discourage professionals from working there because they find that squatters are bad for business.
Coworking spaces
Those who want to focus and concentrate in a professional setting find that coworking spaces are ideal. Many coworking spaces feature shared tables or desks that are available on a first come, first served basis. They also offer ultra-highspeed internet and other amenities similar to those in a traditional office, such as printers, fax machines, and telephones. Check out an example here!
The seats in coworking spaces are comfier than those at coffee shops, and there are outlets at every desk. Some even go as far as offering on-site daycare, a café, or a health club for its members. Coworking spaces also have the best work environments, allowing like-minded people to work on their projects at their own pace together. Being productive is a whole lot easier when you’re around other ambitious and focused professionals!
Although coworking spaces offer the ideal work environment for remote or freelance professionals, they’re not free like a coffee shop is. You’ll have to pay a weekly or monthly membership fee to be = work in the space. However, you’ll probably spend the same amount of money on coffee and food at the coffee shop as you would on a coworking space!