Technology has made it possible for just about anyone with a laptop to do most of their work far away from a centralized office. This is not new. What IS new, though, is the sheer number of people who work remotely. And while this is great for the planet, your car, and your wallet, what it's bad for is your mental health. With the rise in remote work, there has also been an increase in loneliness. Think about it: when you are at home day in, day out, Monday becomes Friday pretty quickly. Epecially if you never change out of your pajamas. Humans are social animals. We crave connection. Sadly, #wfh has disconnected us from each other, not just in the office, but in general. So, can co-working cure lonliness?
According to this study from 2017, 89% of respondents reported being happier when involved in some sort of co-working setup. This is good news! Even those who identify as introverts need to socialize.
Some other key findings in this survey of coworking space members show that:
87% of respondents report that they meet other members for social reasons, with 54% saying they socialize with other members after work and/or on weekends
79% said coworking has expanded their social networks
83% report that they are less lonely since joining a coworking space
89% report that they are happier since joining a coworking space
Depending on the size of your company and their resources, if you are a remote worker, co-working expenses may be reimbursed. If you work for a smaller company, or as a 1099 contractor, you may be able to deduct these expenses. (always check wtih your tax professional first before committing to something you'd like to take off your taxes.)
And just to clarify, you don't have to spend all your working days in your chosen co-working environment, either. One of the main benefits of the new remote paradigm is the ability to choose how and where you work. If you are OK carting your stuff back and forth, hot-desking is often more cost effective than a dedicated desk or individual office.
At NWA Workplaces, we have hot desks, dedicated desks, dedicated cubicles, day offices. meeeting rooms, private team offices, and private individual offices.
(We also do Virtual
Offices, but that's a blog for another day;)
Hit us up anytime for help coming up with a personalized solution for your specific remote work situation. We'd love to help you with your work-life separation and balance, and help you learn can co-working cure loneliness!