How Can I Make The Most Of My Co-working Membership?

While a home office may appear to be ideal for some, it turns out that separating your business and personal lives can be difficult when you work and live in the same place. Employees who work in co-working spaces, on the other hand, routinely rank their experiences as a six on a seven-point scale, according to surveys. Here are 10 recommendations for making the most of your co-working space, whether you own your own company or work for a larger corporation.

1. Explore Your Options

Every co-working space, like any other office, will have its own distinct culture. Before deciding on a location, make sure you and/or your company fit in well with the culture. It is also critical to ensure that you have adequate privacy and that a socially active co-working environment does not become a distraction from your work.

You should also check that it offers any amenities you may require, such as access to a conference room, a decent break room or kitchen, audio-visual equipment, or copying and faxing services. One approach to choosing the ideal place is to use a daily or weekly membership before signing up for an on-site membership.

2. Participate in Networking Events

Mixers, guest speakers, workshops, holiday parties, and other types of events can all be used to network in a co-working space. These activities not only provide an excellent opportunity to get to know your coworkers better, but they can also help widen and grow your personal horizons. As a CPA, you may not have many opportunities to attend film/video workshops, but in a co-working environment, you may – and you never know what you could learn.

3. Engage in social activities

Workplace socialization has been demonstrated to have a variety of major benefits, and socializing in a co-working environment may have even more. When you interact in a traditional office setting, you are generally socializing with people who have access to all of the same information about the same type of business that you do. However, in a co-working space, you may wind up having talks with people who work in completely different fields, which may bring inspiration or an altogether new perspective on your own profession.

4. Get to Know the Management

The majority of co-working spaces employ a community manager who keeps an eye on the pulse of the community. Remember that the co-working community includes all those who have passed through as well as the individuals or enterprises who are currently in residence. Not only can the community manager assist you in making the most of everything the space has to offer, but they can also direct you to outside resources.

5. Be Helpful – But Only In The Right Way

It may appear like being helpful is always a good thing, but it is not. There are two types of aid available: reactive and proactive. Proactive assisting entails stepping in when help is not requested. It can not only complicate things, but it can also produce friction. Reactive helping, on the other hand, is when you are asked to help. Do your best to be helpful, but make sure it is reactive rather than proactive.

6. Keep Your Productivity

There can be a plethora of distractions to productivity in every business. While a co-working space can help you enhance productivity, it all depends on what you make of it, as with most things in life. You want to use whatever tools and resources are available to you to consistently maintain and optimize productivity, just like you would in any office.

7. Obtain the Required Equipment

Although open office ideas have many advantages, one of the most significant negatives is noise. If you are easily distracted by noise, you may consider purchasing some noise-cancelling headphones. You should also get an extra set of whatever cables or cords you need for your electronics, as well as a comfy area to sit and work. Not everyone likes or needs to sit at a desk, but if you do, make sure you have one that allows you to work comfortably.

8. Become Involved in the Community

Another significant benefit of co-working spaces is the community they establish, which can contribute to a good business culture. While you should not continually try to market your product or service to coworkers, this does not exclude you from offering and seeking professional opinions or advice. Look for opportunities to connect as well as opportunities to sell.

9. Make Use of Meeting Rooms

The majority of co-working spaces have a choice of meeting rooms, ranging from conference rooms to training rooms. One exception to this is that these rooms are frequently in high demand, so book one as soon as you know you will need one. Nothing is more infuriating than planning a meeting only to learn you don’t have a venue to meet.

10. Show Others Respect

Some of the essential rules for navigating successfully in a co-working environment are also concepts for navigating well in life. These can include things like cleaning up after yourself or not causing a distraction to others.

A co-working space, as opposed to a regular office, provides significantly more flexibility. You don’t have to check in with anyone if you opt to work from home one day. Furthermore, co-working spaces are frequently available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, allowing you to work at whatever time is most convenient for you. There are numerous benefits to working in a co-working environment, but only if you understand them.