For the last year and a half friends and family have been calling me “Chicken Little”. Why? Because I knew we were on the verge of a global economic crisis. Did I think it would be started by a virus? Heck no. But here we are: COVID 19 and all…
Remote Work & Coworking is No Longer a “Theory”
Many corporations have viewed coworking and remote working as a theory. “Well, it might work for that company, but not mine.” Or, “It’s fine for freelancers but not corporations”. What was recently easily dismissed as simply a passing trend is now being relied on as the “only” solution.
There’s a lot that is wrong with this mentality. Not everyone can work from home. Or, if they can work from home, many are not prepare to do so.
Going “Remote” is For the Rich & Privileged
There have been plenty of articles blasting digital nomads for being privileged. Those who have access to funds for travel, technology and ability to get WiFi. Now, everyone is saying “Just go remote”. What about the workers who don’t have personal computers? Or those who can’t afford (or don’t have access to) fast enough WiFi at home?
Of course, as shown in this online dialogue, remote working in public spaces would be considered as negating the reason why we are all not at the office. With this thought, I SLIGHTLY disagree.
“Smart” Coworking & Virtual Coworking
Even though we are all working from home or remotely, we will be leaving the house to walk the dog, get groceries or perhaps, just to avoid fights with roommates or significant others. They don’t call it cabin fever for nothing.
Coworking owners and operators around the world are being incredibly pro-active to clean and manage their facilities. Sure, WeWork has had issues with poor design – recirculating air into offices. That said, you might need to use one of these spaces to be able to do your job.
If you can work from home (have a computer, good WiFi and limited distractions) you still might be unsure how to do so. Well, as someone who has worked remotely for eight years, here’s a few tips:
Shower, get dressed, find some space in your home that you can carve out as a “desk”. It might sound silly, but it is too easy to end up in PJs on the couch watching Netflix, even though your laptop is on your lap. Like I’ve said before, if you’re watching all 4 hours of the Today Show…you might have a problem.
Find time to get out of the house at least once a day. Go for a walk, whether or not you have a dog.
Lastly? Try “virtual” coworking. Jump on video conferencing with your team, industry peers or friends. Just this week, my team and I had multiple 2-3 hour work sessions remotely in lieu of a cancelled in person series of meetings. It can get lonely real quick when it comes to working remotely. You don’t want to end up like these humans:
If You NEED a Coworking Space, There’s an Answer
Enter Deskpass. I love Deskpass for many reasons. One of them is that they offer such a great option for Coworkaholics who need or prefer to have greater flexibility or variety in booking and use of shared spaces.
About Deskpass
The genesis of Deskpass came from the founders’ experience opening the first coworking space in downtown Chicago, The Coop. After selling The Coop and building space management software, they invented Deskpass.
We wanted a simple and awesome way to share the power of coworking, introduce great spaces and help lovely people meet as many other lovely people as possible.
Sam Rosen, Co-Founder
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The post Working from Home? Stay Calm & Cowork On was first published on Coworkaholic.