The future of work is flexible.
In the wake of COVID-19, a growing number of companies around the world—including giants such as Google and Twitter—have gone remote. More people than ever are working from home, which is great, so-so great, or quite miserable, depending on your home setup, family responsibilities, and need for interaction.
Some freelancers, entrepreneurs and remote workers have happily worked from home for years or decades. Some work from home newbies face immense challenges and can’t wait to get back into an office.
Most, however, fall in the middle: working from home may work sometimes, but it’s not a sustainable, full-time solution. And working in an office checks off the interaction and professional amenities requirements, but it’s not necessary every day.
Shared and flexible office spaces offer the professional business amenities you need, connection and interaction ranging from hallway hellos to fully activated coworking communities, enhanced productivity and focus, and a way to separate home and work.
Flexible offerings include open workspace, dedicated desks, shared offices, private offices, meeting rooms, event space, day offices, media rooms, event space and more.
As we move into a post-COVID work world, the best solution for many will be to balance working from home and working in a flexible office space.
Whether you’re new to coworking or a veteran member who is eager to return but concerned about staying safe, balancing working from home and working in a shared space is a great solution. Here are six ways to strike that balance.
1. Customize Your Membership
Many space operators have created new membership plans specifically geared toward people balancing working from home and working in a professional workspace.
Ask your coworking space operator if they have a flexible solution (most do), or if you can customize a membership plan that will suit your new work arrangement.
This could mean a combination of a coworking membership with some virtual office services and perhaps time in a private space. For example, you could pair a part-time coworking membership with a Virtual Office plan that provides a set number of meeting room credits or hours per month, a business mail address and live answering services.
2. Create Your Ideal Schedule
Are there days you need to be home to cover family duties?
Can you batch your video calls and media needs into two days per week?
Do you only need a meeting room one day per week?
If so, you can create a schedule where you work from home on certain days and go into your workspace on other days.
This allows you to organize your work todos around your work location on any given day.
3. Determine Your Business Amenities Needs
Are there specific productivity and tech tools you want to leverage in your coworking space?
Amenities you may not have at home include private meeting rooms, super fast wifi, business grade copiers and scanners, Zoom Rooms, a podcast or media room and electronic whiteboards.
Plan your needs in advance so you can maximize efficiency when you go into your coworking space.
4. Take Advantage of Work From Home Services
Digital mail and live answering services are staples for many entrepreneurs and coworking members. Can these services help you do your work more effectively and efficiently?
Revisit the offerings in your space to see what you can leverage in your own work.
5. Engage with Your People
Keep in touch with your community.
Make sure you’re part of whatever platforms your coworking space uses for member engagement.
While virtual engagement may not be as good as being in-person, community tools help you keep connected, see how everyone is doing, stay abreast of the virtual events your coworking space is hosting, and learn the latest news, announcements, and safety measures in your space.
6. Get Out of the House
This lockdown marathon is putting our human need for connection to the test. The days are both rolling together and flying at the same time.
If you are feeling lonely or antsy working at home 24/7, or if you’re simply in need of a change of scenery, explore how you can safely use a flexible office space.
If you’re not sure what’s going on in your space, reach out to the team and find out. You may be surprised at the changes they’ve made to create a safe work environment to welcome you back.
Finding a balance between working from home and working in a shared space may be just the thing you need right now to dial back the loneliness and revitalize your work brain.
ProTip: When you do go back into your space, remember to comply with the rules. Wear a mask, be aware of the space’s safety plan before showing up, follow the flow arrows, keep six feet of social space, and respect the varying comfort levels of your fellow members.
How can we help you balance work from home with coworking? Contact us to learn more about our offerings and services for remote workers.