Reasons Co-Working Will Help You + Your Business

There is no doubt that Corona Virus is transforming the workplace landscape for good, in both senses of the word. Working as a catalyst for many of the changes that have long been on the horizon, including more remote work, flexibility, job sharing and freelancing.

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For those that have been fortunate enough to be able to retain their jobs, either through furlough or via working from home, a new found sense of gratitude for the world of flexible working may have arisen, along with its frustrations. As many industries including healthcare make the transition away from a patriarchal approach, to more autonomous one, the challenge of adapting ourselves to make the shift on an individual level has also been brought to the forefront.

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Autonomous approaches to work, health, and self-development require self-awareness for insight, commitment, reflection and discipline. There are many successful strategies for making working from home efficient, focused and productive. However it is mostly about balance, experimentation and finding what does and doesn’t work for you and your unique lifestyle.

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Whereas some may prefer a strict schedule, others may prefer to work in bursts, you might prefer to work during the day, or when given the option, others find themselves most productive at night. There is no right way to do things, there is only the right way for you at a given point in time, depending on the circumstances. However in order to monitor the success of these strategies, clearly defined outputs and goals need to be tracked and measured, in order to give direction and to flag up strategies that may be worth reconsidering in the long run.

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Many companies are currently facing the realisation that they may no longer need their traditional office spaces, as it is both safer and more economical to trust their staff to adapt and learn to successfully work from home. However, the sustainability of remote work still requires some human fundamentals - including variety and connection.

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Working from home (#WFH) has many benefits, such as saving on the commute (nobody wants to take the tube in this climate, let alone the summer heat), giving you more control over your day (and lunch time finances), and being able to spend more time with loved ones (a big plus for those of us that ‘live at the office’, even by choice).

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However, as with anything in life, it also has its drawbacks. Both business and society are all about relationships, and (self)-isolating ourselves at home can often mean that we miss out on some of these. It can also become difficult to mentally and physically separate our work and home lives, something that is already challenging given that we are permanently attached to, and distracted by, our phones and laptops, at all times of the day.

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In a time when we are more digitally connected than ever, whilst becoming increasingly disconnected from both each-other and ourselves, some level of balance may be restored through the variety and advantages offered via just a few self-motivated days a week of flexible co-working:

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1. Community & Support

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Whereas we once had firm local communities, we now often find ourselves with nuclear families and the state. And although this has allowed us to be more mobile than ever, as we are no longer restricted by our primary geographical network for support, it has also left many of us feeling more empty and isolated.

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Community is a key pillar of good mental wellbeing, and when we protect and prioritise our mental health, the effects ripple out to touch our work, our relationships and our lives. Co-working spaces are just one of the ways we can re-establish some of the benefits of a like-minded community and support network.

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This is especially important as we move away from the unhealthier elements of competition, towards a more collaborative approach to achieving common goals. Darwinian theory has always supported the notion that evolution favours those species that increasingly find better means of collaborating.

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2. Flexible Work-Life Balance & Separation

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Having the choice to separate your work and home life allows for better output and productivity based on your ever-evolving needs. Some days just require us to be in a different headspace (and to get a little healthy time away from the kids / husband / wife / playstation), and whilst working in cafés and restaurants is increasingly popular, it’s just not the same as having a dedicated work space with all the facilities necessary for that call, Skype meeting or dying laptop battery.

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3. Values & Motivation

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As we move away from unsustainable models of growth and capitalism, and into the paradigm of purpose-driven economics, knowing our values and uncovering the authentic principles behind our motives is more important than ever. We can only ever expect the unexpected, and although our environments are in a constant state of flux and change, our values and principles offer a stoically solid standpoint from which to base our decisions regardless.

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Values are infectious, and promote vision, optimism and enthusiasm. And it is values that make spaces like x+why so unique. They bring businesses and people together, by allowing them to work towards a common goal and a mission bigger than themselves, creating meaning and purpose - the essential conditions for true fulfilment in life.

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4. Skill Sharing & Employment

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Whereas many large corporates are likely to use expensive agencies for their hunting and hiring, start-ups are more likely to use word of mouth and the local ecosystem. Knowing who you’re working with via pre-existing relationships and warm leads offers huge advantages for both parties, ensuring a better fit and more sustainable partnership from the get go.

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Spaces such as x+why will also have a local intranet, app and operating system in place, to optimise for such connections and collaborations to be made. As more and more of us transition into contracting and freelancing instead of direct employment, such an environment plays a crucial role in finding and developing that next move.

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5. Creativity & Inspiration

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It is important to adopt good habits, however this does not always require becoming a slave to routine. A clearly defined schedule can help motivate some of us to actually do that thing we’ve been putting off for the last 3 weeks, however it can also put us on autopilot.

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In order to avoid the pitfalls of simply going through the motions of the more mundane, we naturally crave additional elements of both rhythm and ceremony. Occasionally breaking out of the traditional routine gives us the mental space and presence needed to cultivate awareness, reflection, inspiration and creativity.

Co-working spaces offer this variety, flexibility and choice, without compromising on the focus and facilities required to generate a great output.

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6. Nature & Wellbeing

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Studies have shown that when you optimise a workspace for better wellbeing, you improve motivation and productivity automatically. This is why spaces like our East London Co-working space are optimised for better mental wellness - using things like natural lighting, green spaces, quiet areas, comfortable seating and horticulture.

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There are many areas even within the space itself, that allow you to have a change of scene depending on your needs. In the era of burn out and chronic stress, bringing wellness into the workplace is vital for a holistic approach to the workplace revolution and improved mental health on a societal level.

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7. Peace & Quiet

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Co-working spaces successfully blend the advantages found in the crossover between working from home, working in a traditional office and working in restaurants and cafés. At x+why you will mostly find the building separated into a common area designed to enhance conversation and connection, office spaces for teams desiring greater group cohesion, as well as meeting rooms and booths that can be hired on demand for privacy and professionalism.

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8. Growth & Acceleration

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Subscribing to a co-working space such as x+why is undoubtedly an investment in both yourself and your business. We are creatures of our environments and placing yourself in an ecosystem optimised for expansion, wellness and opportunity is one of the easiest ways to get growing.

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At x+why you will also find residents such as B Lab and the B Corporation network, who in association with our WhyB programme, help businesses to grow ethically and sustainably. You may also find that PR agency that you need, the event space you’ve scoured London for, the tips and training in public speaking you have been craving, the values-driven accelerator and investment that has previously felt elusive, or assistance with career advice and a change of track.

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‘entrepreneurship is self-development disguised as a business’. - James Clear

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More than that, when you sign up to a co-working space, or new endeavour, one of the things we should ask ourselves, is not just ‘what can I get?’, but also - ‘what can I give?’

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It is often said that we tend to get back what we put out, and growth and collaboration are a two-way system. Placing yourself in the right environment(s) for maturation, is the first step in the right direction.

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