Why coworking works: the benefits of a shared workspace

Working from home sounds ideal until the kitchen table becomes your office and the working day never quite ends. A shared workspace gives you a place that is only for work, which makes it easier to focus while you are there and to switch off when you leave.

Coworking also removes much of the cost and commitment of a traditional office. Instead of signing a long lease and furnishing a room, you choose the kind of space you need, whether that is a desk for the day, a dedicated desk or a meeting room, and change it as your work changes.

Then there are the people. Sharing a space with freelancers, small teams and professionals from other fields brings the everyday conversations, fresh ideas and chance introductions that are hard to find when you work alone.

If you are weighing up whether coworking is right for you, the simplest test is to try it for a few days and notice how your focus and routine change.