Posts

A UK Initiative in Mastering The Art of Brainstorming

A UK Initiative in Mastering The Art Of Brainstorming

July 2014, the Virgin Media Business invited 30 of United Kingdom’s hottest startups, along with several other industry leaders for a ride to the London Eye as they debate the future of six key sectors of the economy – media and entertainment, food, fashion and beauty, social enterprise, retail and healthcare.

Entitled 30:30 Vision, the event served as a wide brainstorming session on the future of UK business. English business magnate and Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson said in a statement that collaboration between businesses of all sizes could be the key to succeeding in the 21st century. He further adds that large companies can learn a thing or two about innovation from startups.

Sir Branson is one of the many entrepreneurs who believed in the power of brainstorming and the ideas that can be produced by working together.

Collaborating Great Minds

DeskMag defines Brainstorming as a widely-used, powerful tool for creative problem solving that breaks away from the rigid, process-driven thinking. It surpasses barriers between members of the team and lets them forget their fear of failure as it gives them the freedom of coming up with as many ideas as they can. Though it disregards the viability of each proposal, the process itself can help improve them into something that is effective and useful.

But the process itself is not easily achieved in traditional private offices. Cubicles hindered employees from casually interacting with one another to generate fresh and creative ideas. And when several designers and experts saw the demand for collaborative work areas, the movement of coworking spaces emerged.

Now, thousands of these unique open-plan designed headquarters are found around the world – each one founded by community and collaboration. And though its layout made a great contribution in creating a platform for individuals to work together, there are certain things to take into consideration and lessons to remember before starting your first brainstorming session.

It’s vital to be prepared and organized so that you and your team can get the most out of your time.

The Mastery of Creative Brainstorming

Psychologist Keith Sawyers states in an article from The New Yorker that there are decades of scientific research consistently showcasing brainstorming groups producing fewer ideas that the number produced by individuals who would work alone and later share their suggestions.

DeskMag recommends that instead of forcing employees to generate new concepts or design during a session, set a specific goal – for example, request them to come up with 10 new ways you can attract more clients. After doing so, give them enough time to reflect individually before sharing their proposition with the rest of the team.

Creativity is often a process that cannot be restricted with time and when an existing idea is evolved and expanded into a viable solution, it gives your discussion purpose and structure.

There is a lot of discussion whether criticism should be present during a brainstorming process or not. Fast Company’s Cliff Kang says that it plays an important role in the said activity while some experts dissent this idea.

In hindsight, both viewpoints are somewhat true. Constructive criticism can refine an idea by identifying its weak areas and highlighting problems that can arise all the while attacking a suggestion can lead to discouraged participants. Proscribing it can encourage your members to openly share their thoughts but utilizing it as a tool for creating feasible solutions may produce great results.

And to ensure structure and focus in the set topic, have a designated moderator that can monitor the direction of the talk. The assigned individual can take notes and create a summary of the session as a whole. By doing this, the time and effort you invested in brainstorming would come to fruition. Integrate these new concepts into your workflow and see which would of them would work.

In an article he personally wrote entitled ‘Looking at the future of business with 30:30 Vision’, Sir Branson clarifies that the event is by no means a competition amongst the participants but instead aims to encourage collaboration between our future leaders. He adds “If we put our heads together, share our resources and stimulate innovation, the seemingly inconceivable can not only become a possibility, but a reality.”

With the emergence of shared offices such as coworking spaces, it’s only apt that we prepare ourselves for one big brainstorming session.

Have an idea you’ve been dying to share with anyone? Hit us up and let’s talk about it!

Mix and Mingle: Coworking and Social Skills

Mix and Mingle: Coworking and Social Skills

Being a freelancer tempts too many of us today – the ability of having flexibility in when, where and how you work; urging you to ditch the usual 9-to-5 and gain back control over your career. And amongst the sea of corporate workers is a growing number of professionals who already made the choice.

According to a 2014 survey conducted by the research firm Edelman Berland, 34% of the overall US workforce are made up of freelancers – over 53 million people. Experts even say that by the year 2020, the freelance workforce will rise to 43%.

Undeniably, there are a lot of perks in going freelance yet at the same time, there’s also an ample amount of cons that are mostly disregarded by the general public.

Isolation and Freelancing

Contrary to popular belief, working alone is not as fun or as glamorous as people make it seem. The career is indeed liberating but at the same time, it’s isolating.

When everyone else in your home have gone out for the day, the only company you have is your laptop and your pet dog or cat. Chances are, you’ll go through the day without saying anything and maybe even go for several days with having minimal face-to-face interactions.

This degree of solitude can be overwhelming to most people and can be detrimental to a person’s social skills. After a long while of working alone, this situation can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness – both of which can bring forth several health risks. Experts have said in the past that lonely people are believed to be more prone to high blood pressure, infections and irregular sleeping patterns. Moreover, long term effects range from heart diseases to depression.

The drawback it carries is pretty much unavoidable but struggling professionals have found a way to find a source of social interaction.

Keeping Company

The boom of the coworking movement gave freelancers, solopreneurs and digital nomads the chance to get their much needed social interaction.

These unorthodox offices have become a haven to them. Coworking spaces provide them with enough variety of work areas that they can easily balance their need for privacy and need to hone their social skills. They can start their morning by working in a single desk away from all the commotion and later in the day, move to one of the communal areas to interact and socialize. Its open layout allows for conversation to happen naturally and flow freely.

Individuals who have transitioned to shared offices, observed a significant difference in their social skills and circle. According to a survey conducted by Deskmag, 92% of their respondents reported an increase in their social circle and 86% have said that they felt less isolated. Other studies have reported that individuals living what they perceived is a healthier work life compared to when they were still in traditional offices.

People actually pay for more than just their desks and their memberships.

Improving Social Skills

Unbeknownst to many, coworking spaces bring so much more to the table rather than just cool offices and unique work areas. The movement utilized different approaches to improve workplace culture and create a significant impact to those working in it.

It takes pride in the element of community that they have. They created a platform for like-minded individuals to interact among themselves. These groups then formed a support system that trade tips and advices to one another – leading to a deeper connection between people whose sole similarity is delivering products and services.

Collaboration are created within its walls – helping individuals learn and develop their entrepreneurial skills. The events they host help keep their members mentally sound by reinforcing the idea of engaging in non-work related activities to replenish their minds and bodies.

Coworking spaces help individuals develop their social skills as well as their respective personalities by removing barriers between their coworkers and by reducing undue pressure and stress in their work lives.

Freelancers develop a sense of belonging within these spaces and assures them that whatever work they may be doing is significant.

Give it a try and you may just find your people, here.

The Shift Towards Ladylike Spaces and Coworking for Women

The Shift Towards Ladylike Spaces and Coworking for Women

The rise of the gig economy resulted to a career shift for numerous members of today’s workforce. Day by day, more and more people are giving up their traditional jobs in exchange for remote working, solopreneurship and freelancing.

This sudden shift in jobs then resulted to a demand for workspaces that can cater to their specific needs and wants. Hence, it’s no surprise that the industry witnessed a fast paced growth among coworking spaces in the recent years. The Global Coworking Survey reported 11,300 spaces worldwide with over 835,000 members. Experts predict that by the year 2020, the numbers would increase by 26,000 and members will grow to 3.8 million.

And as founders found more creative ways to appeal to diverse niches, hybrids of shared spaces have emerged. From unorthodox offices that have in-house climbing walls and play grounds to women-friendly, ladylike spaces with millennial pink walls and feminine interior.

Female-Centric

According to a Bloomberg article released last January, these female focused workspaces is a response to the predominant “fratty [co-working] venues that advertise kegs and pingpongs”. Founder of all-female coworking space Rise Collaborative, Stacy Taubman, says that the women of today’s workforce are craving for community, connection and confidence – and that is what they are giving to them.

In hindsight, the concept isn’t relatively new. Over a century ago, thousands of “women’s clubs” surfaced to free its members of domestic drudgery by allowing them to form reading circles and study clubs. The trend of female-only workspaces have become the extension of this historical precedent.

In the US, more and more female-centric coworking spaces are rising such as The Wing, SheWorks Collective, Rise Collaborative, New Women Space, Paper Dolls, Hera Hub and Shecosystem.

By entering market with a fresh concept, issues are bound to rise. Critiques will comment on how exclusionary this may be in today’s age of neutrality and gender equality but founders have a rational explanation to this.

Finding A Place To Belong

There are several factors that contributed to the demand of female-only offices. For one, there is the obvious fact that the corporate world and even the startup ecosystems remain to be male dominated despite of the progress humankind has made in gender equality.

Women still experience discrimination in their workplace. In a survey conducted last March 2016, 8 in 10 fully employed women believe that gender discrimination remains to be present in the workplace. Almost half of the respondents have also reported that they have personally experienced discrimination because of their gender.

By designing ladylike spaces for themselves, women are addressing the challenges and difficulties they face in developing their respective profession. Paper dolls founder Jen Mojo said in a HuffingtonPost article that today’s women are building the structure of their career by collaborating in order for them to access the resources that they need.

Mojo further adds that another contributing factor to this emerging concept is stress hormones. In a recent study by researchers from the Indiana University reported unhealthy levels of cortisol – the stress hormone – amongst ‘token’ women working in male-dominated offices.

The gaps in the available resources that support the growth of women as entrepreneurs are being filled by these no-boys allowed coworking spaces.

Ladylike Spaces

Though there’s already a significant presence of all-female spaces in the US and other European countries, majority of the shared offices around the world are co-ed. And on the other side, male-only spaces have been established as well – one example is Australia’s first male only coworking space and gym, Nomadic Thinkers.

According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2012 Women’s Report, women are undeniably underutilized in the ecosystem of work. Job creation capacity of half of the world’s population is lost if they are not actively engaged as entrepreneurs.

Hence, more and more flexible workspace providers are coming up with ways to attract female entrepreneurs to join their spaces. Specific spaces in the US started offering child care services so that the ladies in their community can both be a mom and an entrepreneur.

Mojo says that all these structures boil down to changing the world of work and providing equal support as well as opportunity to all genders. As this shift towards ladylike spaces continues, we can expect more offices that are built around collaboration and community.

Rethinking Mental Health at Work

Rethinking Mental Health at Work

 

Mental illness, the term itself carries a stigma that can silence people. The mere thought of it creates a rift amongst crowds. It speaks volumes but only a handful bothers to pay attention.

Mental health problems affect people from all walks of life. It does not have any bias – no matter the ethnicity, social standing and even age – these psychiatric disorders does not allow exemptions.

All over the world, an estimated 450 million people are currently suffering from mental illness – becoming one of the leading causes of ill-health and disability. Approximately 43.8 million adults experience this in a given year and 9.8 million adults have severe cases that interferes with major life activities such as work.

And though treatment is not impossible, nearly two-thirds of those with a known mental disorder never seek help from professionals due to the stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health.

The World Health Organization (WHO) have said that neglect leads to little to no understanding at all and when there is no understanding, there is neglect. As numbers grow to epidemic proportions, the United Nations’ health agency have urged governments from across the globe to find solutions that can be readily accessible to everyone.

Organizations from different industries have made their contributions to improve wellness in the workplace but according to the 2016 Work and Well-being survey conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA) among 1501 workers, less than half of the participants felt that their organization supported employee well-being.

Leaders may have found themselves in an unfamiliar territory, they may want to help but they’re unsure of how to do so. Experts are having a hard time observing its symptoms due to the dissimilarity in how it manifests when at work or in other settings.

As a result, mental illness often go unrecognized and untreated – damaging the individual’s health and career. In America, at least $105 billion dollars are spent on loss productivity, absenteeism and turnovers. Due to the toll it has on employers, various programs are now being implemented to turn offices into mental-health-friendly workspaces.

Workplace Mental Health

Businesses and companies are doing everything that they can to improve the overall wellness of their respective offices. In support of this endeavor and as an effort to show how organizations can take care of their workforce while enhancing their overall performance, the American Psychological Association created the annual Psychologically Healthy Workplace awards program.

The Center for Organizational Excellence award recognizes organizations across the US for their commitment to the well-being of their employees and creating better working environment for their workforce. Since its first launch, winners of the award have reported that in return, rates of turnover have reduced and employee productivity have increased – outweighing the cost of their investment.

The rise of flexible workspaces also gave way to designs that helps reduce mental illness. Coworking spaces with open layouts encourage unforced interaction between members. Various work areas are readily accessible so that individual get to pick the environment they deemed appropriate. They can chose to move away from busy desks that increases their anxieties by settling on a tranquil room without any sort of distraction or noise. In addition to this, there are recreational rooms such as gaming and karaoke rooms that helps alleviate stress.

Those from the outside looking in can never truly understand what it means to have mental illness. They can only comprehend what they are suffering from through psychology books and articles but they can never feel what it feels like to fight your own self.

If there’s one thing that they can do, it’s this; to stop saying get over it, and instead, start helping people get through it. Give a friend a hand and introduce them to a mental-health-friendly workspace.

Light It Up with Productivity and Office Lights

Light It Up with Productivity and Office Lights

From the layout of your office down to the color of your walls, experts have recently uncovered the peculiar factors that affect the overall mood – and even productivity – of professionals.

The emergence of shared work areas such as coworking spaces showcased the impact of environmental physical design on an individual’s efficiency rate and focus. Several studies and surveys have highlighted the positive outcome of the movement to its members’ work life. Its open layout gave enough leeway to choose the setting that would work best with them.

In addition to this, trends such as comfort designs and dynamic offices attest to the growing demand of sustainable and efficient workplaces that help employees love their profession even more.

And though our ideologies of where to work are changing and constantly undergoing improvement, there’s one factor that is often treated with indifference by a number of designers and employers – lighting.

The Flick of a Switch

Hard to believe but its true – your mood, and even your overall well-being, can change with the flick of a switch. Aside from the common knowledge that reading in dark places can damage your eyes, poor lighting carry even more harm than we know. Well-lit environments can not only improve your employees’ productivity and vitality, it also helps enhance company image and aids you in recruiting new talents as well as retaining high-value workers.

In a recent study presented by Philips System, researchers saw a significant link between lights and circadian rhythms, or the ‘built-in-clocks’ of humans that determine their sleep cycle, stimulation, and relaxation. While another study have said that proper lighting can decrease depression and improve one’s mood and energy as well as their alertness and productivity.

The American Society of Interior Designs further strengthened the aforementioned claims by reporting a total number of 68 employees complaining about the systems of their respective office lights.

These issues serve as proof on the influence a simple light bulb can have to a person’s output. The amount of criticism businesses get with their systems can only mean that majority of them are making the same mistakes.

In order for a company to improve their workplaces and in return, get the most out of their team, it’s important that they understand what drives productivity and the factors that can affect it.

And one of the most notable factor that alter the way an individual works is the color temperature of the office lights they are exposed to on a regular basis.

Understanding Light

Those unfamiliar with lighting temperatures, colors and its variations may have a hard time figuring out which would be more appropriate for a work setting.

Measured in Kelvin (K), the temperature of light is a numerical representation of the color emitted by an object under a certain degree. As it increases, the colors will change and will emit light of that color.

Higher color temperatures that measure from 4,600K or more appear blue-white and are often called as daylight or cool colors. Mid-range temperatures within the average of 3,100K to 4,600K emit cool white and lower temperatures that are up to 3,000K materialize red to yellowish-white tone.

Knowing which office lights should be utilized in certain rooms can improve your overall workplace environment and can result to better performance from your team.

Finding the Perfect Office Lights

According to a study on the effects of high correlated color temperature office lighting on employee wellbeing and work performance, cooler light improves productivity. Using them on brainstorming rooms can help boost alertness and lowers melatonin which can help reduce feelings of fatigue.

Employees who have spent their whole day cooped up in the office can benefit from exposure to natural light. A study from Cornell University conducted among nurses who worked long shifts during nonstandard hours showed that respondents who had access to daylight communicated better with their colleagues and patients. In addition to this, significant improvement was seen in their health.

Stanley Felderman of design studio Felderman Keatinge & Associates suggest using extensive amount of glass to enable light to travel throughout the entire office space. Should daylight be inaccessible, they recommend using “blue-enriched” light bulbs.

Conference rooms can make use of mid-range color temperatures to create a welcoming aura while maintaining cool tones to promote alertness.

As our ideologies in work change, the more we see the power strategic lighting has.

Serviced Offices: The Pioneers of Flexible Workspaces

Serviced Offices: The Pioneers of Flexible Workspaces

As of writing, there are tens of thousands of flexible workspaces available around the world. From coworking spaces that provides you with an array of working areas down to private offices that allows teams to work harmoniously without any sort of interruption or distraction, companies have a lot options to choose from – each one holding a different value to the other.

Driven by the changes brought upon by the increasing demands of the workforce to have a better work-life balance, new technology and the rising costs of offices, it’s no surprise that flexible workspaces grew rapidly.

But before hot-desks, virtual offices and meeting room rentals entered the Philippine market, there was serviced offices.

Serviced Offices

In a report entitled ‘Mining Millennials: Finding gold in Co-working Spaces”, Colliers called serviced offices as the pioneers of flexible workspaces. Having entered the market during the year 1999, serviced offices carry the basic services needed in a workspace.

Commonly known as shared offices or executive suites, Serviced Offices are fully-operational work areas with cost-efficient rates and flexible lease terms. Unlike the conventional office space, serviced offices are inclusive of maintenance and facility costs. Its facilities are all guaranteed to be plug-and-play ready. Its pliability allows businesses to scale down or up whenever they need to.

Being the first ones to enter the market, serviced offices can be found in multiple locations across the world and have sites established in prime cities within central business districts.

And as the Philippine economy stabilized and flourished, serviced offices grew popular to businesses establishing a presence in the country and multinational companies’ offshoring work. By the year 2014, the Philippines rose to second place as an “outsourcing destination”, beating Mumbai. Come 2016, serviced offices CAGR as a sector stood at 18%.

What Makes It Different

With the wide variety of flexible workspaces now readily available, the competition is stiff. Most of providers offer services that doesn’t veer away from what other companies have but each have a unique value that provides solution to certain needs.

The premise of flexible workspaces alone carries great advantages but in order to make the best choice for your company, it’s critical to differentiate one from the other – to know whether their services will fit your needs for today and in the future, will your culture fit with the culture of the office itself and the other additional assistance they can provide you with.

The widely-known coworking spaces differs from shared offices in terms of the vibe that they provide to their respective occupants. Coworking spaces often design their sites to give off that relaxed and trendy vibe that most tech startups and young freelancers look for. All the while shared offices incorporates the corporate vibe most conventional offices have to attract traditional companies.

With its open plan layout, privacy is very minimal in coworking space unlike in shared offices, yet it’s also important to note that this type of space values community and therefore, have chosen a design that allows you to interact with other members and expand your network.

Both coworking spaces and serviced offices share amenities and facilities that can cater to the general needs of a company in need of office space but in the same way, they carry specific factors that can only be needed by certain teams.

The idea that serviced offices paved the way to the hybridization of workspaces, provided the market with a variety of options flexible enough to accommodate the changing industry and technology we have today.

Shaping Your Future Success with Active Ergonomics

Shaping Your Future Success with Active Ergonomics

Unbeknownst to many, workspaces have the ability to change the way individuals work. The size of a room, the devices you are using and even your desk – each one has the ability to influence your behavior and can even give foresight to how successful your business will be.

For one, broaden postures that resulted from desk setups helps employees stay assertive. Harvard researchers have said that posture can impact the emotional state of an individual and that learning a power pose can release confidence-boosting hormones before making a speech or entering a negotiation. The same logic can be applied when working. Devices like an iPad or a laptop that leave employees hunched over will be less assertive compared to those with a more open, broad posture from desktop setups.

In addition to this, noisier rooms tend to distract and exhaust people. According to an article by Time Magazine, engaging in small talks can disrupt thoughts and it takes a lot of mental effort to interact with your colleague without losing track of what you were working on before. Moreover, it takes away approximately 27 minutes per distraction.

These are not the only cases that demonstrates the impact offices has on the workforce. Other drawbacks such as work-related injuries and high task repetition are common scenarios found across all industries, emphasizing the importance of office ergonomics.

Ergonomics and Its Benefits

Merriam-Webster defines ergonomics as the applied science concerned with designing and arranging things people utilize in such a way that allows them to interact most efficiently and safely.

Also known as human engineering, it incorporates human data in designing the working environment to increase the comfort, safety and efficiency of workers. Theoretical principles and methods are used to fit the environment to its respective inhabitants instead of the other way around.

Leading companies and other organizations are integrating ergonomics into their operations and the benefits that they offer in return makes it understandable why more and more businesses are investing in improving their workplace ergonomic.

By reducing ergonomic risk factors such as sustained awkward postures and forceful exertions, costly MSDs or Musculoskeletal Disorders are avoided. In the US, approximately $1 out of every $3 in compensations costs are spent on MSDs. Significant costs will saved, not to mention that other indirect spending can go up to twenty times the actual cost.

Another proven benefit is improved productivity. Workstations become more efficient when it allows room for good posture as well as better heights and reaches. Therefore, improving the quality of work produced.

Employee engagement is also improved when they notice the efforts of the company in ensuring their safety and health. It reduces turnover, decreases absenteeism and improves morale.

Companies all around the world are showing more commitment to strengthening their safety culture.

And as the very idea of work changes before our very own eyes, designers, architects and even business organizations are coming up with ways to ensure that ergonomics can keep up with today’s workplace and continue improving the way we work.

Active Ergonomics and The Emerging Workplace

The advancement of today’s technology has allowed us to work freely almost anywhere. Unlike before when a typical day at work is spent in front of a computer screen, professionals nowadays engage in collaborative work made possible by effortless information sharing. This rising trend paved the way for emerging collaborative and social spaces such as shared offices and coworking spaces with casual furnishings that visualizes a calm and lax vibe.

Despite of how popular and effective these spaces are to startups and other organizations, Dr. Michael O’Neill of US furniture giant Haworth have said in a study that the traditional ergonomics is struggling to keep up with the modern workplace.

In his paper entitled Active Ergonomics for the Emerging Workplace, O’Neill says that traditional office ergonomics does not address collaborative spaces. Majority of these shared offices are being created without the appropriate ergonomic guidance, he adds.

There’s a significant probability that today’s workforce are moving between formal and informal spaces – most especially those coming from the younger demographic. And classic ergonomics only concentrates on individual workstations with the presumption that they spend the rest of their day on that same place.

It solely focuses on correcting the employee’s seated posture by taking into consideration other contributing factors such as distance of the screen from their eyes, position of their hands and wrists over keyboards and desks as well as the height of their respective desk.

But now that standing desks, casual sofas, hot desks and informal meeting areas are becoming a common feature to offices, it’s only apt that the discipline of regulation and implementation of classic ergonomics should be rethought.

O’Neill suggests giving active ergonomics a try – a new approach to office design that incorporates a variety of ergonomic principles to the whole environment. Based three areas – anthropometrics, ambients and movement – he defines active ergonomics as the application of sound ergonomic thinking to the entirety of a space instead of solely focusing on individual work areas.

The aforementioned elements can be utilized to improve the safety of today’s collaborative spaces. And though traditional offices are still around, industrial designers have said that incorporating a new take into the classic ergonomics that we have can make people happier in their workplaces.

Is your current office keeping up with the latest trends? If not, we’ll show you a variety of spaces flexible enough to catch up.

The Truth Behind Freelancing and Going Solo

The Truth Behind Freelancing and Going Solo

Freelancing, having the freedom to work whenever you want and wherever you want.

It’s the kind of lifestyle many of us dream to have. Being able to balance both our personal and work lives. Some do it because they like the concept of supporting themselves with a job that they love. People are fond of the idea of being their own boss and having the chance to work with projects that serve their best interest.

Veterans in the industry can attest to the benefits going solo has and how rewarding it can be but at the same time, they admit that there are challenges that will change a person as they go through it.

Living the Freelancing Dream

According to the latest survey conducted by Upwork in cooperation with Freelancers Union, the freelance economy of the United States grew from 53 million during the year 2014 to 55 million in 2016 and now represents 35% of the US workforce.

Another notable trend the study revealed is that the number of people transitioning to freelance by choice is increasing. 63% of respondents reported that they made the switch by their own will, mainly because this is the ideal employment situation they want.  Some have also said that they make more money than they did before and is relatively satisfied with what they do on a daily basis.

And as the perception on freelancing change, more and more people are encouraged to take the risk for freedom and flexibility – no longer viewed as laziness. Experts predict that by the year 2020, 50% of the U.S. workforce will be freelancers.

The rising economy of on-demand work undeniably attracts the young professionals of this generation. What with the premise of doing something they love, whenever and wherever they like it, while still making money. Yet, unbeknownst to many, is the hardship people go through in becoming a ‘solo entrepreneur’

Touch Reality

Business Insider contributor Ellie Martin wrote in an article that though she has no regrets for making the move to freelance, there is so much that she didn’t know during the time she started transitioning. She says that it was definitely much harder than her former job and adds that it really does change the way you live. Anyone who considers choosing this kind of work should be ready to adapt to the drastic modifications it brings.

Martin says that starting a freelance career is the hardest part. People are likely to disregard your background and would pay you very little to none at all. She admits doing her first few projects for free in order to convince her clients. Building trust and reliability takes years even with a well-constructed portfolio.

She further discusses that there are other skills the industry will need you to learn in order to build long term partnerships. Knowing how to market the services you offer is expected. It is critical that you know how to set meetings with your clients and impress them.

Lastly, she highlights the mental toll that working alone brings to the table. Her social circle significantly shrunk since she started and have felt lonelier since socialization started diminishing.

Finding A Home

Figuring out how to start a freelance career can be difficult. Asking advice from friends and established solopreneurs online can be a great way to earn insight but there’s also the presence of great resources that can help you kick start such as coworking spaces.

These open-layout shared offices became the home to many digital nomads of the industry. Other than offering a desk that they can call their own, providers pride themselves in the community they have curated. A built-in network of diverse talents await prospect members.

A space for like-minded individuals inspires members to be productive. It allows for their creativity to flow without limits. Moreover, it expands one’s social circle and opens that person to several learning opportunities. The small interactions they make can lead to innovative collaborations and strong support groups.

At the end Ellie Martin’s piece, she says that much had been said about the wonderful advantages of freelancing but she feels that it’s also important to talk about its harsh realities. No doubt, it takes a lot of hard work – not to mention risky but nothing compares to having the leeway to work on something we are passionate about.

Getting Things Done: Improving Productivity in Shared Office Spaces

Getting Things Done: Improving Productivity in Shared Office Spaces

 

Though widely popular to today’s workforce, coworking spaces is similar to any other office setting – it has its own benefits and drawbacks.

The movement became well-known to freelancers, startups and other independent entrepreneurs for factors such as professional ambiance and a wide social network that are of value to establishing a business presence. In addition to this, several surveys conducted amongst members attest to the claims that it increased their productivity and overall happiness in work.

However, just like any other workplace, these open areas are susceptible to disruptions that can make a significant impact to a person’s concentration and productivity.

Unanticipated Nuisances

A study on the privacy-communication trade-off in open-plan offices stated that the benefits brought by enhanced ‘ease of communication’ were much smaller compared to the penalties resulting from increased noise levels and decreased privacy.

Certain individuals have a hard time getting long hours of creative and undisturbed work due to the high noise levels shared offices have as well as the other forms of distractions that cannot be overlooked. A longitudinal study have confirmed this by reporting a significant association between open-plan office designs and elevated stress levels.

And though designers believed that by diminishing walls down, employees would frequently engage in casual conversations that can spark new ideas, research shows that it may have actually backfired. Undeniably, these spontaneous conversation between employees have become more recurrent yet unfortunately, they have the tendency to be short and superficial. Members have become self-conscious due to the fact that there are a lot of people lending them their ears.

In addition, experts have pointed out that though the new setup helped create a bridge between those who are in need of help and those who are willing to help, exploitation is likely to take place. In a study conducted by a group of German and Swiss researchers, ‘help seeking’ participants performed better compared to ‘help giving’ individuals.

Alternating between one’s individual tasks and helping others inflict heavy ‘cognitive load’ or the total amount of mental effort exerted from the working memory as they are forced to reacquaint themselves with the task they left undone.

Despite of these grievances, there are still certain teams or individuals that thrive in these kinds of environment – proof that there are still ways to combat these unforeseen noises and disturbances.

Keeping Focused in Shared Office Spaces

By listing down all of the external and internal factors that hinders workers to reach the full capacity of their productivity, specialists have come up with different solutions to them.

First, they recommend starting with the ears. Upon observation in a typical shared office, majority of its members are wearing ear buds or headphones – proven to be easiest way of reducing distractions. Admittedly, investing noise-cancelling headsets isn’t scientifically proven to be an effective solution but experts have said that by helping us gain more control of our surroundings, we become more determined to work harder.

Time magazine advises teams to make use of empty conference rooms or going for walks when discussing important information or sensitive matters with their colleagues in order for them to lessen self-consciousness or self-censorship when speaking.

In addition to this, they recommend employees to block out a certain period of their day wherein they will not be disturbed in order to minimize cognitive load.

Today’s modern offices helped us alleviate the numerous difficulties inflicted by the working industry but truthfully, the movement itself is subject to its own flaws and lapses. Its effect, of course, will be different for each one of us, we just have to find the way to riddle it out.

5 Things To Do During Your First Month in a Coworking Space

5 Things To Do During Your First Month in a Coworking Space

Behind the overwhelming success of coworking is the community it prides themselves in. The support group that they have created among like-minded individuals and the rewards that each member get from the connections they make.

The diverse group present in these open areas offer a large pool of knowledge and network that can lead to innovative projects and meaningful collaboration. It gives people a breath of inspiration and encourages them step out of their comfort zone to try new things. And allows them to discover new opportunities without veering too far.

No doubt, this modern style of working allowed us to have a platform for collaboration and paved way for a supportive collective of professionals cheering each other on towards success. It made working healthier for certain people and brought back the joy of being in an office.

But members new to the movement can be inundated with the numerous individuals they need to meet and the events they need to participate in. In order to make the most out of their new home, here are 5 things they can do on their first month to become well-connected with everyone.

 Things to do during your First Month in a Coworking Space

 

1. First Impressions

The most crucial step in entering a new coworking space is introducing yourself. Much to the dismay of introverts, the best way of connecting with the current members is by telling them something about yourself.

Being the new comer, people are likely to wait for you to start a conversation for they don’t know whether you’re there for a day or for a week. They would only give you a friendly nod when you pass by them or smile at you when you take a seat near them. Take it a bit further by introducing yourself without causing interruption in their work.

It’s good to keep in mind that everyone in the room must’ve went through the same situation you are now in as they become new members of the community.

2. Congenial Company

Members know that there’s a need for long hours of uninterrupted concentration as you go through your day. Hence, it’s become a universal sign that if a person is wearing headphones, he/she does not want to be disturbed.

You are most likely left to be alone with them but if you don’t mind entertaining a quick chat or question, leave it be. Plug in only when needed and leave the door open for introductions. By becoming more approachable, you’ll easily find your place within the group.

3. Lend A Helping Hand

One of the greatest quality these communities have is their strong sense of camaraderie. It gives them plenty of opportunity to help other members out with their expertise and in return, more people are encouraged to be generous to others.

The underlying spirit of helpfulness gives heart to the community of coworking spaces. Share your time as well as knowledge generously and people will be more than happy to return the favor.

4. Know Your Space

Knowing where everything is helps lessen the feeling of estrangement. Other than simply memorizing where the bathrooms are, the coffee makers and the conference rooms, take the time to find out about the little details like where they place those extra cords and the location of the member wall.

These seemingly miniscule things can boost a person’s sense of belongingness rather than the feeling of a visitor in an unknown place.

5. Try New Things

Don’t be afraid to switch things up. One of the distinctive features of coworking spaces is the variety of work environments that it offers. Move around and try to find a safe space – an area wherein you get most of your work done.

After a while, change it up and try staying at the community table. Spend time in these areas and join in the conversations. Let yourself enjoy these little encounters and switch it up every now and then to meet more people.

 

Coworking gives you the opportunity to be part of something greater. It allows you to create relationships with people that can help you go through the path of success.

Don’t let this chance go to waste and connect with us today!