When you hear New Year’s resolutions, most people think gym membership or cutting back on the cookies. But the New Year can also be a great time to evaluate our professional progress and set some SMART career goals. This is even more critical for the portion of the workforce who is freelance or self-employed (a sizeable 35% and rising fast), who don’t have a corporate-facilitated annual review to do the job for them. Here are the top coworking tips to consider before setting those 2018 resolutions.
Get To Know Your Coworkers
Coworking spaces are bursting with like-minded creative thinkers and a widespread domain of expertise. Quite bluntly, this is not the place to be shy. Get involved on the community feed your coworking space utilizes, attend the events, and make use of the strongest resource your coworking space provides: its network. Sure, hunkering down with the noise cancelling headphones is a sure-fire way to stay on task and have a mega productive day, but that’s no way to grow your business. Some of the most brilliant business plans, creative collaborations, and solid partnerships are birthed from two strangers in a coworking space. Make it a priority to strike up conversation with other members, join in on friendly brainstorming, and make the most of your 2018 coworking experience.
Take Advantage Of New Technology
It’s no secret that the coworking (remote) revolution was fueled by our digital capabilities—we can now instantaneously communicate, collaborate, and literally run a business from anywhere with some decent Wi-Fi. In the coworking world, technology plays a critically important role in how we work and stay productive, so it makes sense that some of the coolest technologies were founded for (and usually, in) coworking spaces. DropDesk, the newest tool on the market for remote workers is a one-stop-shop for coworking. With a few simple clicks and the help of geo-location services, this tool connects professionals looking for a workspace or conference room, with the perfect space to meet their unique preferences. Users can browse nearby workspaces in real-time, find spaces open 24/7, and use either current location or an upcoming destination for work on the go. DropDesk also serves as a communication platform for coworking spaces both internally amongst members, and with the widespread network of other workspaces and remote friendly venues. Yep, the coworking network for 2018 just got that much bigger.
Expand Your Office Horizons
Okay, we lied. The coworking boom isn’t just a product of innovative technologies. A lot of the credit also goes to the human resources professionals who shared with the world that we are actually exponentially happier when not stuck on the professional hamster wheel of 9-5 in a cubicle (shocker). The remote workers who made the jump from cubicles to coworking spaces said their work-life balance significantly improved after making the switch. Since coworking, 60% of surveyed employees reported feeling more relaxed at home and 91% said they experienced better personal interactions. What this data tells us, is that coworking is awesome, yes—but also, that location-independence, professional freedom, and a change of office scenery are extremely healthy. Which brings us to our next point…
Make Time For A Coworking Getaway
Even coworking space members need to mix it up from time to time and get a fresh perspective to keep the creative wheels turning. The past few years have seen a trend in what we like to call a “remote retreat”—where forward thinking companies like Auttomatic and Buffer send their team out of the city, to a vacation-esque coworking space for the best of both worlds: productivity and relaxation. Similarly, big city dwelling coworking members are just beginning to discover the benefits of a working getaway outside the hustle and bustle. In New York for example, just forty minutes outside the city is a beachside coworking space on Long Island. Bridgeworks Long Beach not only offers a state-of-the-art office setup (completed with surfboard racks and boardwalk bikes), but also a location walking distance from the beach, boardwalk, and streets lined with quaint local coffee shops and foodie approved cafés. Make time on your 2018 calendar for a productive coworking getaway – trust us, it’s worth it.
