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Coworking Vs. Home Office: Advantages And Disadvantages

When it comes to choosing where to work, no one has more freedom to decide than an entrepreneur or independent worker.

The dizzying array of options that are available can usually be boiled down into two main categories, though: working from the comforts of your home or commuting to a workspace.

For those of us who chose the latter, coffee shops seemed to be the best place to operate from – at least, that was the case before the rise of coworking spaces.

If you’ve only just recently started your business, you may be wondering – what location is best for you to work from.

Coworking Vs. Home Office: Advantages And Disadvantages

To help you come to a decision, here’s a comparison between working from home or a coworking space, from the perks to the disadvantages.

What are the benefits of working from a home office?

If you can work in your pyjamas, why bother going out?

The freedom to wear whatever you want to work is one of the many advantages that you can enjoy by choosing to work from a home office.

Another of these benefits is lower costs – especially if you already have unlimited broadband internet at home.

You also don’t need to pay for any fees when commuting to work or for office spaces, nor spend money on takeouts for lunch or dinner.

Additionally, suppose you already have a designated home office space for a work-from-home arrangement.

In that case, it can be hard to see why operating from a coworking space is a more appealing option.

What are the drawbacks of working from a home office?

Though working from home can be more convenient, some problems may arise from using the same space for your personal and professional lives.

For one, it can be difficult to ‘turn off’ your work mode.

You may end up staying up all night just to finish off a project or having a hard time disengaging from work while spending time with your friends and family.

The opposite may also apply.

Coworking Vs. Home Office: Advantages And Disadvantages

If you share your home with others, you may feel disrupted during your scheduled work time – and that can be detrimental to your productivity.

Even if you happen to live alone, a certain level of self-discipline is needed to consistently perform at the level you expect from yourself.

After all, what’s the point of decreasing costs by working from a home office if it ends up hurting your bottom line?

Why is it better to work from coworking spaces?

Working from a coworking space can be a vastly better experience than working from home due to several reasons.

One, you may find it easier to structure your work routine while working there.

A study featured in Harvard Business Review found that although entrepreneurs and independent workers have greater levels of autonomy to choose their work tasks, this high degree of freedom can be detrimental to productivity levels if they cannot maintain a semblance of work routine.

And that can be challenging to do when you’re working from home.

Aside from helping you set up better work routines, operating from a coworking space brings you in contact with others who are also building their businesses.

David Thomas, co-founder and Chief Technologist of Melbourne-based Coworking Centre LaunchPad, stated that, “Our members greatly benefit from community events that allow them to share their experiences and knowledge with each other since many of them come from diverse backgrounds and are operating in different business fields.”

What are some downsides of coworking spaces?

Not everything is rosy about coworking spaces and your experience would largely be determined by your coworking space choice.

Coworking Vs. Home Office: Advantages And Disadvantages

Some coworking spaces have a very high occupancy rate, which may not bode well for you.

A large number of tenants may mean more noise or limited available facilities, such as meeting rooms vacancy.

Another downside that may occur is a lack of flexibility. Some coworking spaces may only be open during standard office working hours, which may feel constraining if you work with clients or teams in different time zones.

So, which is the right arrangement for you?

Working at a home office or coworking space?

It is also possible to not choose – why not combine them both?

Perhaps when dealing with projects that require more concentration than usual, a coworking space is a better place to work from.

However, when you need a more flexible schedule, perhaps a home office set-up shall suffice.

In the end, only you can decide what’s best for you and your business.

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