Seven ways flexspace can enhance your working week

Not ready for a daily commute again? Spaces offers flexible neighbourhood workspaces for professionals who want to split their time between home, the office and a coworking hub

After more than a year of working remotely, many of us are set to revisit the office. But are we really looking forward to rejoining the rat race?

Working from home (WFH) has benefits that people have come to value during the Covid-19 crisis, including no obligation to commute, a more relaxed dress code and more quality time with friends and family.

It also has challenges, however, not least the tendency for work and home life boundaries to blur. In early 2021, research into the realities of working from home found that people were spending longer at their desks than they did before the pandemic. In the UK, USA, Austria and Canada, the average length of time employees spent logged on to their computers increased by around two hours a day.

It’s no surprise, then, that businesses are adopting a hybrid approach. This model of working – which allows staff to spend some time at home, some at the company HQ and some at a third location, such as a local flexible workspace – offers all the benefits of remote working while helping employees stay connected to company culture.

Here, we outline seven ways that including visits to a flexible or coworking space can enhance your working week, boosting productivity, focus and creativity.

1. Enjoy a professional environment

Some people boast natural get-up-and-go, while others need to be nudged into the work zone. What’s more, it’s well known that our environment has an impact on performance and productivity, with cluttered kitchens or cramped bedrooms not conducive to either.

Light, well ventilated and equipped with ergonomic desks and chairs, modern coworking spaces are all designed with productivity and professionalism in mind. Comfortable and calm, your local Spaces is set up with work in mind and can immediately put you in the right headspace for a good day’s graft.

2. Join a creative community

In the new world of work, visits to the company HQ are likely to be for the purpose of collaboration but, if your creative juices are refusing to flow between meetings, spending time at a flexspace could help.

Coworking alongside other professionals in a buzzy atmosphere will spark your imagination, and may even help you find like-minded new friends you can bounce ideas around with.

3. Fight feelings of isolation

People are naturally sociable beings, and being isolated at home for lengthy periods can have a negative effect on the mindset.

Whether it’s a quiet nod at the coffee machine or a breezy chat over the watercooler, interacting with others at a local flexspace can offer the social buzz we all need to be happier and healthier.

4. Stay calm with tech you can rely on

A key refrain we’ve all heard repeated during the pandemic is that people can now work ‘wherever there’s WiFi’. However, as anyone who’s ever experienced Zoom freeze will attest, not all WiFi networks are created equally.

Like corporate offices, flexible workspaces benefit from an IT set-up that’s better than anything most of us have at home. Spaces locations are all equipped with secure, high-speed WiFi networks and offer access to printers and scanners, which can remove additional stress from your working day.

5. Press the ‘off’ button (properly)

Whether it’s checking emails over breakfast or labouring late into the night to finish a project, when you work from home, time becomes more elastic than when you work in an office. On average, remote employees work six hours more per week than they would if based in an office.

Working from a coworking space sets firm boundaries between work and home, allowing you to switch off properly at the end of the day.

6. Ditch domestic distractions

Procrastination is all too easy when you work where you live. Whether it’s the ever-growing pile of laundry taunting you, your neighbours using you as a pseudo post office or frequent disturbances from family members that break your concentration, it can be tough to focus properly on professional tasks.

Using a physical office space away from home will remove these domestic distractions, providing vital peace and calm so you can focus solely on the workday ahead.

7. Enjoy exciting networking opportunities

Whatever your profession, face-to-face networking has become an essential part of working life. However, it’s hard to network from your kitchen table.

Many Spaces locations offer regular networking events, including talks from local business leaders and networking lunches. In addition, simply coworking alongside others can help to grow your network of contacts, opening up opportunities and boosting your profile.

Be flexible

Whatever it is you are working on, embracing a hybrid professional lifestyle will give you the best of all worlds – freedom, motivation, community and convenience. It’s the future.

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