The Benefits of a Coworking Space for Freelancers

The workplace has gone through a lot of evolution over the years. The traditional cubicle office was a mainstay for years, but then people started getting weird. Open air workplaces, restaurant meetings, and recently, virtual conference rooms. However, one type of workplace is quickly gaining steam.

Coworking spaces are a new brand of office that’s taking the world by storm. Beautiful offices with a ready stock of supplies and amenities, housing a diverse group of workers from different organizations and businesses. These places are a freelancer’s dream, but there are more benefits than just new faces.

Benefits that we will be discussing today, but first-

What’s a Coworking Space?

Coworking spaces are an arrangement made to mingle different companies and workers together. This means a great office space has its rent, utilities, and equipment costs split between different companies. They are the best setup for small businesses that want facilities but can’t afford their own buildings. It’s also fantastic for freelancers, and here are the reason why:

Networking Opportunities

One of the most unique benefits of a coworking space for freelancers is the capacity for face-to-face networking. Here, people from a diverse range of backgrounds and businesses gather to work. That means there are tons of different industries and people to share stories (and business cards). It’s a very unique place to start networking.

Coworking spaces also provide conference rooms, so if you ever felt like pitching something to people you’ve met, it can be done in-house. Networking would be impossible if you were working from home. Coworking spaces allow you to take out two birds with one stone. If used well, your office becomes a place of opportunity.

Cost-Efficient

One of the most attractive reasons of a coworking space for freelancers is its cost. Since the office space is shared, that means so are the rent, utilities, equipment, and amenities. Having access to things found in any office while paying a fraction of the cost is incredible for small businesses and freelancers. This is especially true if your business isn’t exactly doing “secret projects”.

Cost-efficiency means your funds can go towards improving your business properly. Even if you do plan on having your own facilities, starting in a coworking space will help you get there faster and safer. You have all the functionalities of an office without starting your business in debt. Costs are always a worry as a freelancer, so the savings from using a coworking space is massive.

Lacks Distractions

One of the constant worries of working from home is distractions. People find it hard to work when everything they want to do is within an arm’s reach. Perhaps people in the house keep asking them to do chores while in the middle of business. This problem is solved by working in a coworking space. It’s also easier for time tracking, as you pay more attention to your day.

Distractions are inevitable. You’ll get bored of work sometimes even if you like it. However, it’s important not to develop that habit. Working from home makes developing that habit too easy. By using a coworking space, the only distractions you’d have are other professionals. At the very least, you’re still gaining something as opposed to wasting time.

Convenience

Coworking spaces come prepackaged as beautiful offices. With your own facilities, you would have to pay extra for the luxury of dedicated desks and private meeting rooms. With coworking spaces, not only are these cheaper, but the upkeep isn’t on you either. The rooms will always be cleaned by the building staff without you having to worry about it.

No need for setups or planning or upkeep. Just plop down and start working once you’ve paid your share. In addition, it’s also convenient for networking, as stated previously. Most of the time, networking is done during events or conventions. Here, break time is essentially its own convention, providing the same level of diversity in professionals.

Amenities

An underrated aspect of a coworking space for freelancers is the amenities. People often have to feed themselves in offices, or bring their own toiletries, etc. In good coworking spaces, comfort is also at the forefront. People work better when they don’t have to worry about their stomach-churning because they forgot their lunch, or have to “hold it in” to go to their house to use the bathroom.

Amenities are a huge morale booster. It makes you feel less like a work drone. People underestimate how the little things help greatly in improving morale. The fact that this is baked into the affordable cost is also fantastic. No worrying about basic amenities affecting the bottom line when it’s shared between people.

No Commitments

Coworking spaces do not have strict contracts that lock you in, for the most part. All that matters is you follow their facility rules and pay your share. Otherwise, you aren’t committed to the facilities. You don’t have responsibilities for its upkeep or have to stay for a significant amount of time.

You use the coworking space as much as you please, then leave as you please. For startups, this is an incredible safety net. Being able to make use of an office space without being locked into a contract is a huge plus. It removes a lot of the stress on failure when the consequences aren’t nearly as severe. It also lets you freely experiment with your business, thanks to the savings.