What you need to know before you choose a co-working space

Whether you are starting a business or you work as a freelance, you will reach a point in which you most likely will rather have a separate space to work that is not a corner of your home.

What you need to know before you choose a co-working space.

Co-working spaces are great solutions to have a solid constant place to go to work to, and it is also a great idea to save some money since you are all sharing expenses.

It also can feel healthier at times since it makes us get out of the house and actually have a place to go where we have the chance to interact with other people.

But how do we choose the right co-working space for us? Well here are the main things you need to know before you choose the space for you.

1. Analyze what you need in an everyday basis.

What are you working on? What are you creating? What type of space do you need to do your job?

You need to ask yourself those questions in order to find the right spot for you. Things change if you need a large space where you can spread materials or if you simply need a desk to place your computer.

Also keep in mind how tolerant you can be with other people noises (maybe you will be having numerous video conferences?) and how much noise do you make while doing your job.

2. Do you need a space for just yourself or do you have a small team already?

Things are different depending on if you are a freelance or you are a startup. As a freelance you can be more flexible with the space you get, but if you already have a small team or you hope that will be happening in the near future, you want to make sure you have the right space and environment for that situation.

Also, even if it is just you, think about if you sometimes meet with other professionals at the work space and if you need enough space for those meetings in general.

3. Find out what do people do and the demographics of the co-working space you are considering to join.

As much as a co-working space is formed by independent professionals, it is good to know what everyone does there, and finding one that would complement your job too.

Sharing a workspace with people that you find interesting both personally and professionally might become a source of extra work opportunities in the future and will also help you feel more confortable in that work environment.

4. Bare in mind the importance of finding the right location

Not only do we want to find a work space that is close to our home and easy to commute to, but we also want to find one that would offer us new possibilities based on its location. You might be wondering now what does that exactly means? Well you want to be literally in “the room where it happens”, as we said before, the people you share a co-working space might become a source for new clients or projects, but also your location might have an impact in your work. That is why you want to be in an area that is somehow related to what you do, either because they can be potential clients, or because they can attract new ones.

In general, when choosing your co-working space, you must always try to find the one that feels like home, just the same way you would want to work in a safe confortable work environment in an office, your co-working space must adapt to your needs and make the most out of your environment.