Enough. Enough of the loneliness of working solo; enough of cool but distracting coffee shop work attempts; enough of long commutes and utterly unprofessional conference calls taken while battling the mute button so you can pretend there aren’t dogs, kids and cars roaring in the background. Enough. You’re ready to give this brave new world of coworking a try. Congrats, we say to you. Go forth and find your happy, and take these proven tips and tricks with you when you do.
Try out a few different spaces.
Marnee Chua, Works Progress and the Women’s Business Incubator
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“Each space is unique and it can be as important as finding the right job or the right house. Not everyone will enjoy every space—they all have a slightly different focus and culture. It’s great to be in your own neighborhood if you can, but it’s even more important that you are going to really want to go there.”
try it for a month.
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“It’s hard to get a feel for coworking in one day, but after a few times you’ll start to make connections and feel the benefits, both in your work and your personal happiness. If you don’t find it useful, you can always drop your membership.”
Cortney Stehlik-Freeman, Kitsap Coworking Meetup Group
Ask your employer to cover the cost.
Marcel Imbach, Vibe Coworks
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“Coworking is not just for freelancers. Many of us work for large companies that are eager to support the needs and interests of their employees in order to retain top talent. Talk to your employer about having them cover the cost of your full- or part-time coworking membership. Many will.”
Get to know the people around you.
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“You should feel ‘free’ where you work. It’s not a library; you can speak. You can—and should—interact. The potential for new relationships is key. Coworking is, in large part, about getting to know the people around you. It’s so much more productive and rewarding than the alternatives.”
Sean Kelly, Spark Commons
Be flexible and look for ways to contribute.
Leslie Schneider and Jason Omens, Office Xpats
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“That’s how you get connected fast and get the most out of coworking. Coworking gives an entire community of professionals the chance to find each other, develop trust and eventually do some business with each other.”