Working from home can seem like a dream option; you can step from dining room to home office, dressed however you want, without anyone to see you, and with the comforts of home within reach. You don’t have to commute to get to work, and you can “show up” whenever you want.
However, the things that we appreciate about being able to work from home affect the quality of our work and the way we feel about it.
Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur researching your ideas, a freelancer who works unconventional hours (because they’re the ones in which you are most productive), or a remote worker for a company, carving out that space in your home to work can be challenging sometimes. You probably still visit coffee shops to seek things that can be hard to produce at home, like interaction when you need it and an atmosphere of productivity.
A designated workspace outside of the house can alleviate some of those issues. If you have been considering finding a workspace, Stoke has a number of membership options that could suit your needs, depending on how often you need to get out of the house, or if you need a place to meet clients that is not a coffee shop.
Mentally Stepping Into Work
Working in the same place that you live can affect your work process. The physical and cognitive shift into work mode if you’re working from home is more blurred than when you have to leave for the office, which can cause you to work less productively, or alternatively, overwork. Though overworking might seem beneficial or appealing to an employer, this can eventually lead to burnout and less engaged, fruitful work.
2. Setting Your Own Schedule
The rigidity of working in an office might be what you wanted to move away from by working remotely, but you might later have realized that the structure was integral to your weekly planning and successful work flow.
When you work at Stoke, you have the flexibility of setting your own schedule (coworking members have access from 8 AM-6 PM, and dedicated members have 24/7 access) and still have structure by being in a place conducive to working on your task list.
3. Communicating Effectively On a Remote Team
Communication is key to success, but finding a time to meet with your supervisor or team when you’re all in different places can prove to be tricky. Sometimes you’re in different time zones. Sometimes the meeting method is glitching, or there’s a delay between audio and visual during an important discussion.
Various communication and project management tools, supported by reliable, fast WiFi, exist that you can use to improve communication with the people with whom you work. Coworking spaces provide you with opportunities to take a call at your desk, stroll around the building, or reserve a spot to talk with others when needed. At Stoke, you can avoid interruptions to your conference calls by scheduling a conference room or stopping in to the phone call room.
4. Minimizing Distractions
When at home, tempting reasons present themselves for you to walk away from work for long periods of time, or call it a day earlier than you intended. It can be hard to ignore the housework that needs tending to when you’re at home, or the comforts of the spots around your home that you typically relax. The environment that you’re in might be distracting for these or other reasons, but relocating yourself can be an option, as opposed to staying at home while struggling to stay on-task.
Stoke provides you with free coffee, tea, and snacks, and you’ll have a clean, productive workspace waiting for you after you’ve taken your mental break for brain fuel. We also have comfortable lounge areas for quick meetings, taking a phone call, or a break from your desk.
5. Having a WiFi Backup Plan
Never worry about spotty internet connections again. WiFi networks at Stoke are secure, fast, and reliable. If you fear that the audio or visual for your video conference might lag or disconnect, you can rest assured that won’t happen at Stoke. Stoke members gain access to our private WiFi network, which is password protected and also enables you wireless access to the printer.
6. Alleviating Feelings of Isolation
Experiencing loneliness as a remote worker is common. It might be nice to work alone for a time, but eventually you might find yourself feeling isolated. Human connection is an important part of working remotely, and many remote teams are taking note of this, coming up with ways to alleviate those moments when the loneliness hits. Making time for serendipitous interaction and finding a community are a couple of ways that help remote workers with feeling alone in their work.
Coworking spaces enable organic interactions with other members during a coffee break or around the space. Networking, sharing successes, and commiserating, even when working on completely different things, can be beneficial to your mental health and productivity.
Consider Coworking In Addition to Working From Home
Working from home can be great when you need to physically be at your house for one reason or another, or when you’ve worked in an office setting your entire career and can finally enjoy working remotely. If and when you want to work remotely elsewhere, Stoke is here for you.
You can test out coworking with a day pass, visit on a Freebie Friday, or sign up for a month and decide whether you want to continue. Having the option to cowork at Stoke might be helpful to you on the days that you need something to help boost your productivity, or when you need to meet with a client and your house or a coffee shop doesn’t sound appealing. Stoke members also gain a business address in Denton to use so that you can keep your home address private and have mail received here.