Working at home can be incredibly convenient and rewarding. You don’t have to get ready to leave the house, there’s no getting everything packed up and taking it to work, and there’s no time wasted commuting to and from the office. However, working at home isn’t all rainbows and butterflies. It can be lonely. Really lonely. If you’re a bit introverted or not very good at joining social events (myself included) then leaving the house might never happen. One solution I’ve seen around, mostly in bigger cities, are coworking spaces. I’d like to run you through what they are, why they might be a good idea for you and where you can find a shared office space rental near you.

What is a Shared Office Space Rental?

Also known as co-working spaces, shared office space is a place that people, usually not employed by the same company, work in one office. It can be anything from a communal open workspace to separate rooms where there’s a common area that people can come together. They’re usually membership based and paid by month like standard offices. Mostly they’re used by freelancers (that’s us!), remote workers and independent professionals who don’t necessarily need an entire office space to themselves.

How is a Coworking Office Space Good for You?

Just like electric height adjustable desks and standing mats are good for your physical health. Coworking spaces are there for the mental aspect. There are actually a ton of positives about working in a shared office or coworking space. Most of the ideals are outlined in the Coworking Manifesto. It’s a document which talks about what coworking is all about and what they’re trying to accomplish with this idea. It’s signed by over 2,300 people who have used coworking spaces and believe in its mission of community, collaboration, learning, and sustainability. I have a few more benefits of shared office spaces as well.

1. No competition with coworkers

In traditional type offices, the politics and stepping on each other to get to the next rung of the ladder are all commonplace. Not so in a shared office space rental. You don’t work for the same company so what are you supposed to bicker about? There’s no brown-nosing to the boss, backstabbing coworkers or office drama because in this setting that won’t get you anywhere. You’re all on separate ladders.

2. Feeling your work is important

We like being able to tell people what we do, especially if we’re excited about it. Most freelancers become freelancers because they’re passionate about their job. How are you supposed to be passionate sitting at home, alone in your office all day? The social aspect of approval from others and that your work is worthwhile is a bit superficial, but it can also be exactly what you need to keep going some days. If you decide what you’re going to work on and you’re positive about it, you want to tell people.

3. Unique sets of skills and thought processes

The diversity of coworking spaces is one of its greatest assets. You never know who you’ll be working next to. It could be a developer, SEO specialist, translator, graphic designer. All of these people have different thought processes and different perspectives. You might be surprised at the advice that different people give you. All you have to do is ask.

4. Freedom/structure balance

Most shared office spaces are open 24/7. That means if you want to grab a coffee with a friend at 10 am, you can. Go home and catch a quick nap and come back after lunch. No problem. You have complete control and freedom to work when you want.

But, not too much freedom. When you work at home, the office/house separation becomes more grey than black and white. That means when you’re at home, you’re also at the office, and when you’re at the office, you’re at home. Many people need a basic structure to get in the right work mindset. Leaving the house and having a place dedicated to work can get you in the right mind frame. You never know what you can accomplish if watching Netflix isn’t an option.

5. Community feeling

We all like to be apart of something bigger than ourselves. That’s why there’s religion, support groups, team activities, etc. We want to belong. Interacting with the people in that group, and who are of like mind can be very supportive. When there’s no competition, then there’s no reason not to support what everyone else is pursuing.

6. Actual human interaction/networking

The last and most “shocking” on the list is actual human interaction. I’ve touched on it a bit in the previous few points, but I think I need to really drill it home. We’ve come to underestimate what it is to actually speak, listen to and have a real interaction with someone who is physically in front of us. It’s challenging to make a connection with someone by sending e-mails back and forth. You can only put so much empathy into writing text messages with different emoji faces.

Speaking to and having human interactions is vital to our mental health. Shared office spaces can be just what you need if you’re stuck in a rut. For more info about speaking with other hew-MAns check out 10 Ways to Manage Stress Levels – How to not go off the deep end.

Where can I find a shared office space rental?

As I said earlier, most coworking spaces are being built in metropolitan areas as there is higher population density and likelihood for freelancers to want a separate space to operate.

WeWork is undoubtedly the market leader for coworking spaces with 111 shared office space rentals around the world. However, quite a few other companies are popping up, and an estimated 130,000 coworking spaces will be available for rent by the end of this year.

Check out some of them here. They’re all located throughout the US.

You can also check out a few shared office space rental directories here. They’re basically the Yelp and Trip Advisor of coworking spaces.

If you can’t find what you’re looking for in those directories, you might just be out of luck in coworking spaces near you.

As I said at the beginning, working at home and having the freedom to work on whatever you want is one of the main reasons I became a freelancer. I’m guessing that same freedom was probably a pretty big pull for you as well. However, I’ve come to realize that too much freedom, as incredible as it is, might not be the best thing for me or my freelance company.

A bit of structure, not working in my pajamas (I personally like the ones at healthyfreelancers-store.com, but I may be biased) and not having my kitchen 20 feet away might not be the worst thing for me.

Interacting with people besides the mailman or the cashier and having intellectual conversations with like-minded freelancers is something that shouldn’t be taken for granted. Getting burnt out is a very real possibility if you live and work in your own little world. Go and see what other freelancers are working on, and you might just gain a new perspective, and motivation, for your own job.

Happy Freelancing everybody!

Have you ever used a shared office space rental? How was your experience and would you recommend it?