Coworking Space vs Home Office: Which Is Best?

According to Flexjob’s report “The State of the Remote Job Marketplace”, there are now 3.9 million Americans working from home at least half of the time. This is 2.9% of the total US workforce. 

Yet working from home is not exactly what it is cut out to be. Don’t get us wrong, there are definitely some perks to it, like not paying for rent or gas for commuting; yet, working from home can be detrimental to professional performance and mental and physical health. 

Working from home entails isolation, which has led to a loneliness epidemic among remote workers. This affects our mental health and our productivity  levels. Then there’s also the fact that there are way too many distractions at home: the kitchen, laundry, cleaning duty, food, if you have kids then kids, the list is endless. And to top it all off, setting a routine for home working is hard and it often feels like one is working 24/7. 

Luckily for remote workers today, there are a plethora of coworking options out there. Coworking has boomed over the past couple of years and recent research suggests that there are 14,411 coworking spaces in the world today (this number has likely increase since the results were published in early 2018). 

Coworking spaces can be said to be the ideal solution for home workers. Although the come at a cost, it’s a price worth paying for; especially when you take into consideration all of the perks and benefits that come from using one. 

These types of spaces are located near where people live, which means the commute shouldn’t be an issue. They also help with the loneliness issue and since you will likely be surrounded by people working, you will notice that you are more motivated and inspired to work. In other words, your productivity levels will improve and you won’t feel like you are working nonstop 24/7. 

Moreover, since you are actually going into a place to work, it will help you establish a routine while also eliminating most of the distractions: you won’t hear the washer buzz when the clothes are clean, you won’t be tempted to go check out what’s in your fridge, and you won’t have kids running around asking for your help. 

Last but not least coworking spaces are great for networking opportunities. You will be surrounded by individuals that work in different industries and that might be interested in collaborating with you. These spaces also often a list of curated events, workshops, or seminars; providing you with unique opportunities to interact with. 

There’s a reason coworking spaces have exploded over the past few years; but if you aren’t yet convinced about them here’s a little something else: these spaces have great coffee, fast Wi-Fi, meeting rooms, office supplies, and much more.

About Cecilia Amador

Cecilia Amador is a writer and content strategist based in Guatemala City. She's been writing about coworking, virtual offices, and business centers since 2015 and she is currently getting a Masters Degree in Innovation from The Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.