Making the most out of coworking spaces
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For many first-time entrepreneurs, choosing to work off of the dining room table can be tempting. It's cheap, it's easy and it's not much of a commute. As you get started on your new venture, letting cost alone determine your daily work environment isn't as beneficial as you might think.
Even if you're a pre-revenue startup, having a space dedicated to work is critical to productivity and maintaining a healthy work/life balance.
The membership-based workspace that coworking offers is a valuable solution for the bootstrapping solopreneur and the venture-funded startup alike.
As with any purchase, it's important to shop around until you find the right environment, so doing your homework is important.
Tour the different spaces in your area, try each option out for a day (most offer inexpensive day passes) and take the time to assess what you value most in a work environment.
The following are three ways to take advantage of membership at a coworking space.
1. Surround yourself with energy
Since many entrepreneurs thrive off of the innovative spirit of others, most coworking spaces offer some type of open format seating.
Spending the day immersed in the energetic buzz of productivity is a simple way to keep the brain's gears turning.
Although some of your day-to-day tasks might require the isolation of a private office, make sure to commit some amount of time to freerange seating.
2. Work on your terms
Long hours are something every entrepreneur must be willing to endure.
After all it takes a lot of energy, time and focus to build something from the ground up.
With burnout being one of the most feared byproducts of continuous laser focus, it's important to understand how your body handles the mental and physical exhaustion of launching a new venture.
Spend some time analyzing yourself. Think about what time of day you're most productive, the ideal amount of sleep you need each night and what pastimes are most helpful in relieving your stress and even how you prefer to commute.
By answering these questions you're able to build an optimal daily routine to help combat fatigue.
A good coworking space can accommodate just about any type of schedule and no matter how nontraditional your work routine may seem, chances are you'll find yourself in good company any time of day.
3. Don't just network... socialize
While networking events, seminars, classes and trade shows offer the obvious benefit of guided or structured interaction between professionals, some of your most important connections can happen in a less formal setting.
By offering a service based around the idea of bringing a diverse group of people together to work independently, coworking spaces cultivate casual interaction, meaning that instead of designating a specific time, place or topic for networking, interactions tend to happen on a more personal level.
A conversation with another member about weekend plans while waiting for your coffee can lead to collaboration, inspiration or offer a new perspective on what you're working on.
Ryan Leary is a co-founder of Running Start Coworking, which has offices in Worcester and Oxford. He is a member of this year's Worcester Business Journal 40 Under Forty Class of 2016.
WBJ Web Partners
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