Winter is coming!
If you’re a Game of Thrones fan, you can’t read that line without experiencing some sort of mixed nostalgia and trauma. Most of us could have never prepared ourselves for the debacle season 8 performance, but we can prepare ourselves to not be working from home this upcoming winter.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, business owner, student, or working from home as an employee of a company, there are many things to consider. COVID-19 has shaken up the world, and unfortunately, it seems like it’s here to stay awhile. However, we have five legitimate reasons why you should consider not working from home despite COVID-19. Here they are:
#1: Safe Alternatives Exist
They’re called coworking spaces, and perhaps you’ve heard of them before. Similar to restaurants, which have adjusted and found creative ways to open their doors safely to the public. Coworking spaces have also been forced to adapt, become creative, or perish, and that’s what spaces like ours have done!
In fact, our space in particular may even be safer than some homes. We have taken extreme precautions to ensure the safety of our members. We highlight those measures on our website with our COVID Health and Safety Precautions. Some of those measures include advanced HEPA filters, UV lights on our furnaces, cleaning crews, and more.
This alone isn’t enough of a reason why you shouldn’t work from home, but it’s a start to know that safe alternatives do exist, and for many people who have felt stuck at home, that’s a good start.
#2: Mental Health is Crucial
If you’re reading this from somewhere with real winters (Hello Michigan), you know how serious seasonal depression is. It’s one of those things that get commonly joked about on social media, but only because of how real it is. Months without much sun, in the cold can have very negative effects on an individual’s mental health.
There is already a mental health crisis regarding COVID-19, and we anticipate this winter it will only get worse. While working from home may be a convenient option, working without much social interaction, in the same space every day can be detrimental to anybody. If you’re someone who has experienced mental health problems in the past, or during COVID-19, perhaps working from home isn’t the best option this winter.
As we previously mentioned, safe alternatives do exist, and they already have put the work in to build communities, which brings us to our next point.
#3: People Need Communities
COVID-19 has already diminished many of our communities this year. It’s worse for those who are working from home and don’t have the escape of studying at a coffee shop or working around unfamiliar faces & places. There’s a sense of dullness and lack of creativity working in the same spot every single day.
People need communities, it’s that simple. The great part is many coworking spaces like ours have put the work in to build those communities for our members. Between various programming, events, and natural interaction, people connect and lean into each other. Even if you aren’t speaking to people at a coworking space, there’s a sense of community in seeing other people with similar dreams, aspirations, or worries as you.
As for spaces like ours, we’ve worked twice as hard at building those safe communities.
#4: Distractions, Distractions, Distractions
Temptations are everywhere at home. Maybe it’s roommates, children or spouses, house projects, entertainment, food, anything! We’ve spoken to people in our coworking space who set up their home office in their bedroom. Imagine the constant battle of every time you turn away from your desk, your bed is practically there calling your name.
It’s far to easy for your mind to wander into home matters.
#5: You Never Leave The Office
We’ve all talked and heard of work-life balance. While it’s true that there are people who can create this balance even while working at home. The truth is for most of us, working from home creates an office we can never escape from. This can cause a boatload of problems in our everyday lives. Tension on family members or roommates, the inability to step away from work, or feeling trapped.
In the summer, you may be able to get out and go for walks, enjoy the sun, but things are different in the winter. Suddenly you may find yourself trapped in your home for days or weeks at a time. Only leaving to run errands like shop for groceries.
By joining coworking spaces, you create a clear separation of your workspace and your living space.
Conclusion:
Perhaps you are unsure if coworking would work for you. You can find out using our five-day free trial period. This way, you can experience a coworking space without spending any money, and go from there.
For some of you, working from home has been the most productive time of your life. For the majority, however, it’s been a giant disaster. People are not wired to be alone for long periods of time. Collaboration and communication are keys to human happiness, even if it’s with people who are not with the same organization as you.
Consider ditching your home office for a coworking space.
Recent Comments