The American workplace has changed drastically over the past decade. The number of people working remotely has grown an impressive 115% since 2005, with 3.7 million employees are now working from home at least half of the time – and that isn’t accounting for startups and small “home-based” entrepreneurial operations.
While on the surface, working from home sounds pretty great – pajamas all day, no commute time, no distracting coworkers chatting about the most recent episode of Game of Thrones (the one you haven’t watched yet)… But is there an even better option? Let’s take a look at some common mobile work problems and how working outside of the home for remote work can improve your performance:
Problem: Work and Home Life Blend Together
Sure, working from home allows for a more relaxed dress code and the lack of a commute can save you hours a day – but home life distractions like dishes, laundry, easy access to the TV, and the temptation to get errands done “whenever” are very real. Unfortunately, there are even people in your life who assume that just because you’re home, you’re available to help with this, or chat about that, even watch their children for an hour while they go to an appointment.
Then, there’s the literal sense of home and work blending – not everyone has the space to dedicate an entire room, or even desk space for a home office. For entrepreneurs trying to lay the groundwork of their startup, this can mean awkward living room or coffee shop meetings. Taking over the kitchen table is the mobile work life reality for many.
Problem: Working All Day and Night
Working from home does provide the opportunity for a more flexible schedule, but oftentimes this turns into drastically longer days for the mobile worker. Without a physical separation between your workplace and home, the line between “work time” and “personal time” can easily get blurred, leaving you working longer, but not necessarily more productive days.
Problem: Isolation and Detachment
You had no idea how much you would miss actual human interaction – even if it meant Karen spoiling the season finale of your favorite show. Working remotely seriously limits your social interaction and opportunities to connect with other adults. Without regular connection, you can feel isolated, uninspired, unmotivated, and drained.
Solution: Work Outside of the Home – Utilize Coworking Workspace
Coworking is a fairly new concept– but quickly becoming very popular with remote workers and entrepreneurs. Coworking workspaces, like Victory Workspace, offer the happy medium between mobile work and traditional employment, offering flexible, inspiring space to work without the distractions of home.
Having a place away from home to work eliminates the domestic distractions and provides a much needed defining line between work life and home life. You have the psychological “going to work” mentality when using a coworking space, and even better, friends and family won’t be so eager to drop in and take advantage of your assumed “free time.”
Some coworking spaces, like Victory Workspace, offer social and professional development events. At first glance, these perks don’t seem like they would be helpful to improving your productivity – but spending an hour with like-minded folks just talking and enjoying a snack and drink together can prove to be energizing and motivating, making you more productive as a result.
Add to that the benefits of a respectable meeting space for face-to-face client meetings, and you’ll find all of the major productivity killers for at-home work are taken care of by taking your mobile workplace to a coworking workspace.
Ready to step up your mobile work game and lead a more productive work life? Schedule a tour of our Walnut Creek or Danville workspaces today!
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