Though relevantly new, Coworking continues to prove that it’s not just a passing trend but an innovation about to completely change the game.

According to the first Global Coworking Survey of the year 2017, the number of spaces have increased from 1,130 to 23,800 over the last 6 six years. Consequently, the numbers of members grew from 43,000 to 1,118,000. Several experts have also predicted a steady growth for the market by the year 2020.

One factor to note is how the current workforce have changed over the years. With Millenials dominantly taking over majority of the world’s labor force, a revolution has been introduced – flexible working. This change have opened its doors to an opportunity of choosing when, where and how a person works.

The evolving workforce of freelancers and startup entrepreneurs led to the rapid success of coworking spaces. But why do startups choose this type of workspace over traditional offices? How come they’ve chosen the former over the latter when for decades, success was seen in the form of your very own office space?

Coworking Spaces offer so much more than just aesthetically pleasing desks and chairs with high-speed internet connection at an affordable rate. These vast areas are made not only to improve one’s productivity but were also meant to make work much more exciting than before.

With network being one of its benefits, it’s a no-brainer that it continuously attracts startups. Access to a wide variety of individuals than can help you gather resources as fast as possible and as affordable as you can is a huge plus. Starting up a business from a scratch is hard, just imagine doing it on your own without anyone to give you a hand.

In the year 2015, the Global Coworking Unconference Conference (GCUC) and Emergent Research have found out that 82% of co-workers have expanded their professional networks since joining. Another 80% have also added that they turn to other members for help or guidance.

Moreover, the relationships you make with like-minded, passionate people can make meaningful connections – other else than collaborating with one another, you get to share similar experiences and dilemmas as entrepreneurs.

Another benefit to note is that several co-workers have reported an increase in their focus and productivity whilst working in these communal areas. Statistics say that 64% of the global co-workers have been able to complete tasks on time than when they were working in regular offices.

Being surrounded by like-minded individuals motivate members to reach goals and with each and every one coming from different backgrounds and industry, there’s no rivalry – no office politics.

Lastly, yet one of the most important benefit that coworking can impart to an individual is positive energy.

Several studies from the past decades have emphasized that office environment can have a heavy influence to a person’s overall happiness and with new findings presented at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association reporting loneliness as an even greater threat than obesity to public health, experts have raised concerns on what we can do with what they perceive as a loneliness epidemic.

A report from Deskmag.com have said that 70% of co-workers felt healthier than from when they were working in a traditional office setting. GCUC’s survey from the same year have also reported that respondents are happier, less lonely and have said that co-working even helps keep them sane.

Coworking bridges the gap between happiness and productivity by combining them into one package – a combination that is often perceived to be unachievable.

The reasons why numerous startups are making the big move from leasing traditional offices to coworking spaces go deeper than most people think. It’s not just the affordable rates or the free coffee – it’s the connections, the lessons you learn from talented individuals and the happiness in doing what you love and loving what you do.

Ready to make the same big move? Join us now!

For years, homes and garages sheltered daily operation of small businesses and freelancers. And with the surge of remote working, the trend of working from home continues to increase. Figures report that 38% of employees from different industries like management, business, and other related professions worked from the comfort of their homes – showcasing a huge leap from the recorded 19% from the year 2003.

And though numerous studies have said that having the ability to work from home every now and then helps increase productivity – not to mention lessens the stress of an individual – it comes with downsides that could easily affect the overall work performance of a person.

The idea of going to work without the long commute and having greater control on your workflow sounds like a good deal but there are certain drawbacks that one should definitely consider first.

Working at home requires a lot of self-discipline. Getting up at the right time and making sure that you make the most out of the day without giving in to the temptation of procrastination and sleeping in takes a great deal of control. Moreover, it lessens the distinction between work and personal life, making it harder for an individual to shut down focus.

And overtime, the isolation will get to you. It gets lonelier without your officemates. In addition to this, less interactions make it harder for trust to be established and for relationships to develop. Face-to-face interactions allows for learning among peers, not to mention the networking opportunities you can have in a normal workplace.

Soon enough, you’ll have an appetite for a new atmosphere and better social interaction. But where do you go when you’ve outgrown the comfort of your home? When you’re finally in dire need of social interaction aside from talking to your cat or conversing over Skype?

Unless you’ve been at home with the curtains shut closed, you probably heard about a new kind of workplace that combines the flexibility and control a home offers with the networking opportunities and social interaction a traditional office gives; Coworking Spaces.

The rookie have made itself known not only among freelancers and independent professionals but even among large scale companies. Well received for its open office setup, coworking spaces gives you the freedom to choose the office setup you think suits you best. In addition to this, it fosters collaboration among its community members.

Since the year 2012, more and more coworking spaces have been established all over the globe. According to the Global Coworking Conference Survey of the year, an estimated 12,800 coworking spaces will be available globally this year in contrast to last year’s 11,300. Experts have predicted a steady future for its market in the next three years.

Numerous studies have also discussed the several advantages co-workers get, from increased happiness and productivity to greater network and collaboration among professionals coming from different industries.

“To each his own” as they say. Each and every one of us have our own way of getting productive and with the trend of flexible working, we can now have the liberty of choosing the best environment that will be best for the interest of your business and your personal growth as a professional.

Interested? There’s a new space in Mandaluyong about to open soon!

Dear Young Freelancer,

Don’t go to coffee shops. Just don’t.

And though I can bet you’re probably reading this inside one, do yourself a favor and don’t do it again.

I know what you’re thinking; this place is so much better than staying at the comfort of your home where the temptations of procrastinating, sleeping in and binge watching your favorite series can pull you in. And if you’re like me, who most likely just graduated from college, you’d say that you owe them one – if it weren’t for nearby coffee shops, you probably flunked that Thesis class.

But here me out.

I mean sure, the ambiance of coffee shops gives you a change of scenery – inspires you better than those four boring walls of your garage ever did – and the sight of other young professionals engrossed in their work motivates you to start grinding, underneath all that lies downsides we’ve chosen to ignore.

Sure, it helps you focus on the tasks at hand because there’s no TV to distract you or comfy bed to seduce you into sleeping in but have you considered the noise? The people coming in and going out? The endless chatter? Not to mention the anxiety you get once you’ve finished that coffee and whatever pastry you ordered it with, thinking that the barista – or that guy who just came in – is judging you for overstaying.

Though it’s important to note that productivity and focus is subjective and tends to be different with one another, we all have to admit that every once in a while, our thoughts go astray when we find something a little more interesting than the matter at hand.

Don’t even get me started on the coffee. It’s a little bit overpriced.

I understand. Truly, I get it. Being a caffeine lover myself, I don’t really mind splurging over a cup of coffee every now and then – paired with a slice of cake or pastry you’ve been craving to have for days – it’s quite an experience. It’s a nice treat after weeks of saving up, honestly. And coffee wakes up your sleeping soul and helps your brain function better, it does the same thing to me.

But after a week spent in your ‘coffice’; chances are, you’ll be regretting it – thinking at the back of your head that you could’ve made that cup of caffeine in your very own kitchen and saved that money.

Oh, and the internet connection? Inconsistent. Even if you’re paying for the WIFI connection via a slice of New York Cheesecake and a medium sized Americano, you can’t guarantee that your connection won’t be spotty or slow.

And lastly, the one factor that made me realize that maybe coffee shops sometimes aren’t the best places to work at – space and time. In order to get a good space and secure a socket for your laptop charger, you have to be there as early as you can and you can’t stay there for long hours – you either feel guilty for ordering so little and staying for so long or the coffee shop itself kicks you out for loitering – either way, your work momentum gets destroyed and it could take you a while to get that back.

‘Where to now?’ you’d ask.

You don’t like working at home because of the tendencies of procrastination and distraction. Not to mention, you need caffeine to function properly as a human being

Where do we go now?

Unless you’ve been cooped up inside your favorite coffee shop for a long time now, you’ve probably hear of Coworking Spaces.

Now, Coworking Spaces is this wonderful thing that combined your two favorite things in one – the comfort of your home and ambiance of your favorite coffee shop. They are workplaces that are membership based with an open space set up that allows you to choose the environment you need to get a little more creative and to be more productive. No need to haggle for your own space plus you get to work whatever time you want.

In need of some alone time? You can pick a desk and do your own thing. Or are you in the mood to get inspired and maybe even collaborate? Why don’t you go join the community at the lounging area to get some fresh ideas! And did I mention that there’s free coffee?

Thing is this, the way people of this generation work are changing and unlike before when us, freelancers, had very little choices of workplace, we now have the ability to choose the perfect setup.

So why don’t you go and be the brave young person you are and try the new trend of co-working spaces? I’ll be more than willing to introduce you to one.

Yours truly,

Former Coffee Shop Loiterer