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Looking Forward to Coworking Predictions for 2018

Looking Forward to Coworking Predictions for 2018

The coworking movement saw nothing but so much untapped potential and great opportunities during the year 2017. The movement slowly but surely became a global phenomenon as the population of digital nomads and remote workers grew. This generation’s startups and professionals created a new need for flexible workspaces that allows them to work anytime and anywhere they like. Moreover, they have put much emphasis on the importance of a good work-life balance. As a result, the demand for office spaces that allows them to maximize their efficiency without sacrificing their overall well-being rose.

As the year comes to an end, let’s take a look at all the major developments coworking has made over the year before moving forward to the coworking predictions that the new year has in store for us.

In Hindsight

The Global Coworking Unconference Conference recently released their GCUC Survey for the year 2017. Discussing the results of their annual survey, the report showcases a quick summary of the improvements and future predictions for the following year.

According to the aforementioned report, a total of 14,411 coworking spaces are now available around the world. Experts forecast that the number will grow to over 30,000 in 2022, globally. Members originating from the US would grow to 1,076,000 by the same year.

It was also during this year that large companies and tech conglomerates experimented on workplace models.

Given the proliferation of open layouts and shared offices, established corporations are giving the latest workplace organization strategies a try by moving some of their teams into coworking spaces. More and more employees from big players are moving in and taking over.

A recent survey have also said that almost half of corporation in the US alone are making use of some sort of flexible office space solution. Moreover, based on the data gathered from the aforementioned report, researchers believe that an increase in the demand and usage of these work areas can be expected in the following years.

By studying the information we have observed from survey data results and trends of the previous year, experts have put together a picture of what coworking predictions for the year 2018 has in store for the industry.

Coworking Predictions

As mentioned earlier, the population will continue to thrive as the years go by. GCUC predicts that the number of spaces will expand to 17,725 this year with an annual growth rate of 16.1% and members will grow to 2.3 million globally from the previous year’s number of 1.74 million with 24.2% annual growth rate.

The trend of mega corporates transitioning to flexible workspaces will accelerate over the next five years as administrations look forward to reducing their exposure towards long term leases. In addition to this, the continuous demand of this generation’s labor force for better workplace options will move the numbers forward.

Startups will also continue to flock these shared offices around the world because of the flexibility and talent attraction advantages that they provide. And as the market grows, so does the demand. With the prediction that over 50% of the global population by 2020, more brands will continue to consolidate spaces that will be built to suit the arrangements of the ever-changing workforce.

It seems that the movement will continue to move upwards and has the capability to evolve even more. Sounds interesting right? Talk to us today and take a quick look at the future.

Forming Bonds: The Art of Networking Without The Network

Forming Bonds: The Art of Networking Without The Network

An average person would spend one third of his/her life working and within that period, they would meet a hundred to a thousand of professionals through meetings, conferences and other colleagues. Somewhere along the way, we would create connections with these individuals and form a professional network with one another.

The bonds that we create with them plays a crucial role in the overall success of our career life. Hence, it’s important for us to be consistent in building our professional network – no matter what industry we are from. Anyone you meet can be of help to you and your career in the long run.

But to say that networking is your singular goal whenever you start a conversation with someone can present a negative connotation towards your personality. Connections done the right way create authentic bonds, giving the impression that you’re not after what that person has to offer but rather, you’re simply interested in knowing another like-minded individual.

And as the new year starts, it’s only apt that we find ways to improve and develop our communication skills. Here are the different ways we can maintain authentic connections be it in informal or formal occasions.

Fortifying Bonds through Networking

When taking part in social gatherings, it helps to start by looking for someone you already know and start catching up before making your way to the new faces around you. CEO of professional networking company Voray, David Olk suggests in a Business News Daily article to have a genuine conversation with someone familiar about things that you have in common before working your way around other people who look lost. Stick out a handshake as conversation starter.

Inspire Human Resources CEO Jaime Klein adds that one should mingle around when there are no assigned seats. These relaxed environments can be used to one’s advantage and make several connections.

Diversify

Olk also notes that spending ample time with people to get to know them better is the true meaning of “networking” – not pushing a certain agenda or idea.

He adds that we should avoid seeing it as a chance to sell your business or you yourself but rather view it as a chance to be in the same room with interesting new people that you’d love to meet. During work gatherings, try and sit with a member for another team that you haven’t spoken to. Keep things brief to spark a more intricate conversation when the gathering is over.

Keep up

In order to keep the relationships you have made after a party or a gathering, it’s important to keep up with them. Send them a thank you note through email and maybe send them a request in LinkedIn. Add in a little note to someone new that you met during the recent gathering. One can also make smart use of their other social media accounts to stay in touch with them.

Other than the aforementioned ways we can create and maintain relationships, the newest way of working have also provided us with a platform wherein we can meet, collaborate and learn through other professionals coming from different industries.

These shared offices commonly known as coworking spaces were designed to improve collaboration and communication. Breaking through the traditional cubicles, its open plan layout allows its members to switch from private desks made to help them concentrate to communal areas made for socializing.

It prides itself in the community it curates and makes it their mission to continue cultivate and enhance the relationships it has built between its members through workshops, events and even parties.

Investing time and effort in building authentic connections within your network will not only help you build your career in the long run, but makes work worthwhile.

Become part of something greater and inquire today to join our very first coworking space!

Thinking Like Alice: The Importance of Curiosity in Business

 

Thinking Like Alice: The Importance of Curiosity in Business

“Curiouser and curiouser!” Cried Alice

When Alice fell down the rabbit hole, it was evident then that its young audiences will develop a highly curious nature. Much like her, we marveled at the whimsical creatures that she met along the way – the Cheshire cat, the mad hatter and the nervous white rabbit wearing a waistcoat. Together, we believed that nothing is impossible, that despite of the several chances Alice had to quit, she continued on.

Yet unfortunately so, only a few grew up laden with the spirit of inquiry. A large number of us have lost our natural interest towards the world as the years have gone by. The moment we caught a glimpse of the realities of our surroundings, we no longer looked up to Alice. We seemed to have forgotten about the adventures she had and how she taught us that risks can sometimes bring brilliant unexpected results.

Be like Alice

According to a Harvard Business Review article from September 2015, curiosity is one of the main attributes expected from CEOs.

A PwC survey from the said year reported that more than a thousand participating CEOs have said that “curiosity” and “open-mindedness” as leadership traits have become increasingly critical during taxing times. Chief executive of Dell, Inc., Michael Dell said in a statement that curiosity can inspire leaders to continuously seek fresh, new ideas and approaches in order for them to keep up with the ever changing market and stay ahead of its competitors.

Inquisitive leaders also has the ability to set an example that influences creative thinking through the company. Hollywood producer Brian Grazer writes in his book A Curios Mind, leaders who manage by asking questions are laying the foundation of a culture of curiosity in your company or team.

The idea that curiosity can produce good results in business is not a new phenomenon. Years ago, Walt Disney stated that the reason why his company continuously innovates is because of their curiosity, the same trait that kept leading them to new paths.

The desire to explore and find a new perspective towards your surroundings – just like Alice – have become even more important in today’s evolving, innovation-driven industry. Experts and consultants alike suggest cultivating a culture of curiosity and inquisitiveness to drive the creativity out of one’s workforce.

Encourage Curiosity

In order to hone curiosity well into your company culture, it’s only apt to consider certain principles that encourage the spirit of inquiry.

First and foremost, it is important to encourage query. Employees of the California-based non-profit research organization HopeLab are motivated by its CEO and President, Pat Christen, to ask questions and challenge themselves. The company created stimulating tools such as a deck of cards called “Questions for Curious” that comes with 12 categories including “beauty”, ”candor”, ”emotions” and “100% responsibility”. These can be found around the office, at desks – even in conference rooms – and is often used by employees on their own or in meetings.

And because of the hectic workdays one would usually have, these tools help find time for reflection and conversation.

Another way of promoting curiosity in one’s usual workday is by writing agendas as questions that needs to be solved by the end of a meeting or a day – by doing so employees become even more engaged knowing what they can bring to the outcome. Christen explains in the aforementioned Harvard Business Review article that everyone present in a meeting is invited to join the conversation and is expected to ask questions, share ideas and contribute.

Private enterprises are not the only ones coming up with other strategies in strengthening the sense of inquiry of today’s workforce. The well-acclaimed movement of shared offices commonly known as coworking spaces have used architectural design and the psychology of performance in their advantage. By implementing open layouts, members get the chance to share their thoughts with other like-minded individuals. Its diverse community encourages members try out new things and open doors to undiscovered opportunities.

Somewhere amidst her adventures, Alice began to think that there are very few things that are impossible. Her story pushes us to become more versatile, more creative and motivates us to remain eager to learn.

Impostor Syndrome in Younger Workforce Generation

Impostor Syndrome in Younger Workforce Generation

No matter the age, ethnicity or social class, we’ve all had to go through days of insecurity.

These are the days wherein we feel like we’re not enough – that what’ve done amounts to nothing. We carry around this irrational anxiety that a day will come when the people around us will find out about the façade that we keep wearing every day and they’ll see how much of a fraud we actually are.

We may have felt it when we were younger, when our parents pushed us to do better in our studies and may still find ourselves sinking in the same feeling at work. The accomplishments and successes we’ve earned are underserved. We convinced ourselves enough that we start to debate whether we deserve the rewards we are receiving.

Imposter syndrome makes us doubt our competence and intelligence. It disables us to internalize the achievements we’ve earned and gives us an irrational fear of being found out to be double dealing. And this happens to almost everyone.

A study from the International Journal of Behavioral Science reported that 70% people suffer the same feelings. Individuals who challenge themselves more often – CEOs and entrepreneurs – are more susceptible because of the unstable nature of the industry.

The younger generation of the workforce could also be prone to Impostor Syndrome due to the undeniable fact that they are entering the market during a time of appalling technological advancements and the persistent comparisons in social media.

And because of the rapid growth of technology, majority of us are constantly learning something new on each project that we work on – this could potentially result to people feeling lost in their field of expertise.

People may use their Facebook accounts and LinkedIn pages to make it seem like they’ve got everything together. But there’s a huge possibility that it isn’t what it is in actuality.

Rethinking Success vs. Impostor Syndrome

Chances are, when a person is going through that point of their career, shaking it off won’t be easy. They’ll probably recover from it and slowly go back to their normal routine, but there’s a big chance that they may never be able to rid themselves of it but there are ways that can help us manage these doubtful thoughts.

Start by identifying what is bothering your confidence. Could it be the new job title or the pressure that came with the new project you recently got? And though each explanation may differ from one another, most cases provide obvious answers; we are simply underselling ourselves.

After doing so, try and confide to someone about it. Call up someone you trust and talk to them about your dwindling self-confidence. It’s best to choose a person who sees you outside of the normal working environment, they can help figure out whether those feelings of dread are irrational and could help remind you of all the achievements you have done.

You can also remind yourself of all the little successes you have made by having your very own accomplishment box. Recount your most recent achievements and write them down in a piece of paper or a bunch of post it notes. Take a look at everything that you’ve earned and reflect on the hard work you’ve exerted just to get to where you are now.

Be part of a supportive network in the office. Psychologist Dr. Pei Han Cheng at the Center for Counseling and Consultation of St. John’s University in New York City says that the worst thing people with impostor syndrome can do is isolating themselves from receiving validating feedback from other people.

In the past recent years, experts and other scholars have put an emphasis on the importance of cultivating a culture that promotes encouragement amongst colleagues. Moreover, the work force itself has emphasized their desire to have a support network at work.

One proof of this growing need is the sudden boom of the coworking movement. Though admittedly, it is commonly known to cater freelancers and other solo entrepreneurs in the industry, its known benefit of creating a tight-knit community appeals to both remote workers and normal employees.

The relaxed environment present in majority of these shared offices help in creating strong affiliation within its members. The trusted bonds that they have created amongst one another helps alleviate impostor syndrome. In addition to this, social gatherings and other events are also held to strengthen the relationship of teams and the whole community itself.

Ways of Coping with Overwhelming Feelings at Work

Different Ways to Cope

When our plate gets too full with deadlines, projects and other deliverables, we easily feel trapped and loaded.

The feeling of overwhelm starts to creep in and we don’t really have much options but to simply go through that long to-do list and successfully accomplish each one. Though it seems like it’s the best way to go, forcing yourself to grind through day and night can do more damage than help.

Burnout and Overwhelming Feelings

Employee burnout have become a pressing problem in today’s work industry that it already reached epidemic proportions.

Vice President of the workforce management and human capital management cloud solutions provider, Kronos Inc., Charlie Dewitt said in an article that though several organizations around the world are now taking action on managing employee burnout, there are fewer efforts in proactive solutions. He further emphasizes its grave consequences by saying that not only will employee burnout deplete productivity and augment absenteeism, it will weaken engagement which can result to the departure of the top players of the organization.

In a survey conducted by Kronos, in cooperation with HR advisory and research firm, Future Workplace, nearly half of the HR leaders who participated have said that employee burnout is responsible for over half of their annual workforce turnover.

And thought the phenomenon affects organizations of all sizes, large companies are more susceptible to it with one out of five HR leaders from well-established enterprises with over 100 to 500 employee, citing burnout as the culprit behind 10 percent of their rate of replacement.

Admittedly, senior leaders and their respective C-suites are the ones expected to initiate the amelioration of the issue but employees, in their own little ways, can also contribute in amending the aforementioned predicament.

Things To Do When You’re Feeling Swamped

Contrary to popular belief, there’s actually a lot that you can do other than that of working until your brain melts. Here are three strategies on dealing with overwhelming feelings at work.

• Take Time and Plan

When there’s so much to do and so little time, sitting down to plan how you’ll accomplish each task becomes a luxury we simply cannot afford yet giving yourself enough leeway to map out a plan of action can help you become more efficient.

So breathe in and don’t panic. Grab a piece of paper and write down each task that you have to accomplish for the day. The simplest act of jotting down what needs to be done and deciding what order you’ll be tackling each one is effective enough. It grabs hold of every project or assignment going through your head and puts them into a list that later on creates action. Prioritize each item so that you know where you’re utmost attention should be instead of jumping from one task to another.

• Get Some Proper Sleep

Put the pen down and shut down your pc or laptop. Take a break and get some sleep.

Our first intuition of pulling all-nighters the moment we receive a large amount of workload creates more damage than help. Whenever we coerce ourselves to work instead of getting some rest and right amount of sleep, it slows us down.

Sleep deprivation directly affects our cognition – rendering us more susceptible to distractions. Moreover, our brains work even harder when we are suffering from high levels of stress.

• Go and Getaway

When we’re feeling overwhelmed and our adrenaline are at a high, our offices may not be the best place to be in. We tend to feel paranoid as if people are constantly watching over us – colleagues and of course, your superiors – like the walls are suddenly closing in on us.

We become anxious about everything that we do and instead of inspiring us to create more, our workplace averts us from getting anything done.

If things become too much, leave.

Even if it’s just for 10 minutes, go out of the office and walk. Get some fresh air and clear your head. Ask if a colleague wouldn’t mind taking a break with you and talk to them about your current workload. Though we essentially have the irrational anxiety of sounding whiny or incapable, talking about it out loud could help you organize your thoughts. In addition to this, they could give you insights on how to deal with the overwhelming feelings you are going through.

If allowed, take your laptop with you and work in a different environment – away from the hustle and bustle.

Members of coworking spaces are well-familiar with this specific assistance that the shared office brings to their usual workday. Unlike the traditional workplace, coworking spaces gives you the ability to switch from one working environment to another depending on what they need. In addition to this, majority of office providers now delegate a space wherein workers can relax and take a breather with other members like pool tables, karaoke rooms and even game rooms.

Remind yourself that there’s another world outside the bubble that is your career life.

It’s hard not to get carried away by all the responsibility thrown our way, not to mention all the overwhelming feelings that go with it, but with the help of these strategies and by keeping in mind that they will be done soon, you’ll get through it without losing your mind.

The Big Players: Large Corporation’s Attraction to Coworking

The Big Players: Large Corporation's Attraction to Coworking

 

 

The term coworking space is often associated to digital nomads – commonly known as remote workers – freelancers and startups. Pioneered to cater to the needs of the independent workers of today’s labor force, these unorthodox work areas ensure them flexibility and stability by offering them the functions of a traditional office without being tied down to long term leases or expensive rates.

But as the previous years go by, experts have noticed an expansion on its target market – gone were the days when home-based entrepreneurs ruled these open spaces. When the movement’s popularity skyrocketed and the then preposterous idea became a global phenomenon, it caught the attention of the public, from budding enterprises up to well-established corporations.

It was during last year when tech giants and other large companies started experimenting with the options of flexible office space solution and other new workplace models. Whether it’s incorporating open layouts to their respective headquarters to acquiring coworking membership for selected employees or teams, the big players have joined in on the bandwagon. By the end of 2017, there’s no denying that they have now made their presence known to the community.

A recent Occupier Survey have reported that 44 percent of corporations in the US alone utilize some type of flexible workplace strategy. In addition to this, judging by the data the researchers have gathered, they expect the demand and usage for these shared offices to continue to increase in the next few years.

The important question now is, what made these big players and conglomerates move?

Even Big Players Call for a Change

Coworking spaces are widely known not only for their creative and innovative work areas but is also sought after for the seemingly endless opportunities that they provide to their members.

Startups and other independent workers flock these open spaces not only to secure a desk of their own. Almost every coworker have chased after the opportunity of expanding the reach of their professional network through its community as well as having the chance of finding prospective clients within the office.

Costs are cut without forsaking the need for the right address to do business. Its environment is inspired by the praised modern headquarters of Google and other tech giants – with pool tables, bean bags and other features that appeals to today’s young generation of professionals constantly in search for stimulating workspaces.

But the big players of the industry have finally realized that maybe they can learn a thing or two from these small enterprises – that sometimes, less is actually more.

Companies who are planning on entering new markets would make use of these shared spaces to cradle their small teams. With this option, costs are kept under control and logistics are easier. Moreover, the uncertainty surrounding budding teams drives the management of these enterprises to settle for flexible workspaces so that they can give them the equivalent treatment of a traditional office environment.

The demand for shared offices is surging not only in the US but around the world as well. Mega corporates such as Apple, Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, GE, SalesForce and American Airlines have all made the move last year for the opportunities the movement offers such as recruitment of top talents, forming partnerships with startups as well as the advantage of keeping their eyes open to new – and potentially – disruptive technology.

Why You Should Spend More Time Staring Out of The Window

Why You Should Spend More Time Staring Out of The Windowv

There are certain moments in a day wherein we’d find ourselves staring into nothingness – or most likely, out of the window from the train or our office – minds aimlessly strolling away from what’s in front of us.

And when someone catches us, asking why we are in such deep thought, we’d play it off and say that we were just bored, nothing more. We just wanted to be somewhere else for a minute because of how futile things seemed to be where we currently are.

To make things worse, we’d sometimes drift off during a meeting or a lecture. Upon realization that we’ve been staring out the window for a good solid 5 minutes, we’d scold ourselves and say that we should’ve been listening to our boss or to our teacher. We probably should’ve started that task stuck in front of us instead of wasting time.

The majority equates this act to lethargy and vanity. It seemed to produce nothing, serving no purpose to any of us. Yet there’s more to it than just cupping your chin into your hands near a window pane.

See, we’re not exactly looking outside. Instead, the activity serves as an exercise as we try and discover the contents of our minds. It’s easy to voice out to the public that we know what we think, what we feel and what’s going on in our minds but it’s very rare that we recognize each one of them. A large part of what makes us who we are remain to be unexplored – carrying potential that has never been tapped.

If done right, staring out of the window paves the way for us to listen to the quiet suggestions and perspectives hidden deep within ourselves.

Mind Wandering

Plato once used a metaphor in explaining the human mind. According to him, our ideas are like birds fluttering around the aviary of our brains and in order for them to settle, he understood the need for periods of calm that are free of purpose. Instances that doesn’t require us to do anything.

These occurrences of which we often perceive as moments of boredom causes us to lapse into a form of brain activity called mind wandering. And in a world obsessed with productivity, it is often seen as a lazy habit, categorizing it as a kind of thinking that we rely on when we’re not really in the mood to actually think. It is often viewed as a sign of procrastination instead of efficiency.

But in the light of the recent years, neuroscience has changed the way we view it. During the year 2010, Harvard psychologists Daniel Gilbert and Matthew A. Killingsworth released a paper in Science that documented the fondness of the human mind in disappearing on a rabbit hole of its own. The aforementioned scientists developed an iPhone app that contacts 2,250 respondents at random times to ask about their current activity and level of happiness. Results show that the participants were engaged in mind wandering 46.9 percent of the time.

Contrary to what the majority of us believes in, daydreaming or mind wandering is imperative to our daily life.

Free Your Mind and Stare out of the Window

In some way, these idle times and occasions of boredom acts as a necessary filter for when we have too much information at hand.

Science reporter Benedict Carey further explains in his New York Times article that experts believe that people tune things out for good reasons and that more often than not, it becomes a tool aiding in sorting information. Research from various fields such as neuroscience and education suggest that falling into a dazed trance allows the brain to rework the outside world in such a way that is both productive and creative.

Psychology Today even notes that it could be a stepping stone to creative productivity. They argue that when unengaged, our minds are providing us with a blank canvas, ready to be painted on with colorful ideas.

Professionals and startups who work in shared offices like coworking spaces would know the importance of having the freedom to be by themselves and reflect from time to time. Though majority of its members joined the movement in the effort of avoiding boredom and isolation, providers remain adamant in recognizing the need for reverie and introspection.

Some of them even go as far as delegating spaces for meditation and contemplation. And unlike in traditional working environments, you don’t need to worry about getting scolded or frowned upon for staring out the window, its home-grown community understands you more than you can imagine.

Our productivity obsessed societies disavow the potential of mind wandering and day dreaming, yet even famous personalities admit that their greatest insights come from when they are irresolute.

Staring out of the window is not a mere act of ennui, but instead, it stands as a form of divergence from the excessive demands of pressure.

Commuter Diaries: Making The Most Out Of Your Commute

Commuter Diaries: Making The Most Out Of Your Commute

Realistically speaking, we spend majority of our life time in transit. Almost everyone is a commuter.

Every day, millions of people globally commute to work and though we do it as often as we can imagine, it doesn’t necessarily mean we have grown fond of it.

Our commutes to work are growing longer and longer as we know it and we’re nowhere near to actually liking it. In the US alone, over 25 million employees spend more than 90 minutes each day going to and from their jobs, and approximately 600,000 of what the U.S. Census Bureau calls as “mega-commuters” travel 90 minutes each way. And in the UK, the average round-trip travel takes 24 minutes. To make things worse, professionals from most of the world’s major cities such as Milan and Manila suffer through awful traffic for over an hour.

Instead of warming up more to the activity like how one would usually become after long exposure to it, our distaste for it grows and grows.

These brewing feelings of loathe – though seemingly insubstantial – can result to serious implications in the long run. According to a 2014 British government survey, workers with lengthy travel time felt more anxious and less satisfied with their lives compared to those with shorter commutes. In addition to this, they are more prone to feeling indifferent about their daily activities. Other research suggest that they become even more exhausted and less productive at work. Moreover, they tend to have lower job satisfaction than those who live near their workplaces.

But experts believe that there’s still hope. We can still improve our individual experiences by trying out certain strategies that can make our travels happier.

Shifting The Commuter Mindset

The duration of your trip to the office can be utilized to condition yourself to get into your professional zone.

Majority of us play a specific role within the walls of our home. Some of us are a parent or a partner – maybe even both and the moment we step into our workplaces, we suit up and get down to business. After 8 hours, we’d revert back to our personal lives and would sometimes even shift back to our work self before going to bed.

Each of the aforementioned alteration requires a shift of mindset. Without it, worries and other concerns that come from one role will carry over into the next one and could possibly pull us down.

Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles suggest incorporating small routines such as checking the news or looking through at one’s calendar for the day on their way to work. Studies says that those who maintained little regimens felt more happy about excited about their day, had more satisfaction in their jobs and were less stressed out compared to those who do not have one. In addition to this, these rituals were known to produce all sorts of benefits. It aids in lowering anxiety before engaging in vital performance tasks, increases enjoyment in activities at hand and could possibly aid us in recovering faster from failure or loss.

Pockets of Freedom

One of the many frustrating aspects of being a commuter is the scarce amount of control we have over traffic jams, delayed buses or crowded train stations. But amidst this, there is one thing that we have power over; the manner of spending our time during the trip.

Harvard Business Review (HBR) writer Jon M. Jachimowicz used the term Pockets of Freedom in an article he co-wrote discussing how people can reclaim their commute to describe our capability of utilizing the time we spend standing in line or inside cars to learn a new skill or improve our passions.

The phrase originated from his great aunt, Adela, who strived to have one dedicated hour each night for creative activity amidst the dreary Nazi occupation. We can make them bearable by looking at it as an opportunity to recharge.

Reduce

If all else fails, then maybe its high time to minimize our existing travel time and become less of a commuter.

A large number of us are torn between choosing to live near work or to live in a bigger home. Members of the workforce with large families would of course opt for the latter. But as living expenses in the cities become more and more expensive, it has become harder for them to live close to their jobs.

Moving houses isn’t the only way to fix long travels to work, a much simpler option is promoting remote working.

The idea of working from home or having versatile work hours are becoming more common. The Census said that during the year 2014, 4.4 percent of the workforce now primarily works at home – nearly doubling the population since 1980.

Though admittedly, not all types of jobs can be susceptive to the nature of telecommuting but there remains to be a significant number of work that can be done within the parameters of a home office or cubicle.

Companies are understandably particular about implementing remote working for a number of reasons, but specific organizations are now giving it a try because fortunately, these progressive enterprises are already aware of the discomforts of being a daily commuter. Some have conducted experiments by allowing specific teams have flexible work hours. Their respective managements would have them join coworking spaces strategically located in cities that are not too cumbersome for the majority. These shared offices give teams their own desks or private offices without tying them down to a specific shift – they can go to work any time they please.

Though originally targeted towards freelancers and other solo entrepreneurs, providers are keeping their doors open for teams that want to give teleworking a try.

Census data shows that our commutes will continue to grow longer for the years to come; hence, they advise business owners to take into consideration the concrete ill-effects it has on their workforce.

Do You Feel Stuck? Then it’s a Perfect Time to Do More

Do You Feel Stuck? Then it's a Perfect Time to Do More

Procrastination

We all do it and we all have done it at least once or twice in our life.

We probably did it when were in school. We’d gather our books and other materials but end up staring at that homework – barely accomplishing anything.

We’d prepare all that we need for that new project yet we don’t even have any clear starting point.

Admittedly, we don’t really mean to do it. Sometimes we simply lack the motivation – the urgency to get things done – or the creativity to produce something we actually love. Other call it resistance. Surely, it’s frustrating and as time passes, the only thing that seems to have made progress is the hour.

It seems innocent at first until the consequences start show. We are forced behind on the output and at the worse, we end up sacrificing the quality of what we produced due to the time we’ve wasted.

Creatives and artists know these instances too well, the feeling of being stuck or blocked. Tough weeks would go by and they would force themselves to produce something almost every day. Some would be good, others not so much – but this is okay. It’s normal to have some hits and misses every now and then. However, what’s not okay is, staring blankly at an empty canvass or screen, cough up, mope and repeat the same cycle over and over and over again.

Design Luck writer and Medium contributor Zat Rana advises in an article

“When you’re stuck, do more”

Stuck? Then Stop Waiting

Though forcing yourself to write a new song or draw another portrait is often seen to be counter-intuitive, action brings something to the table that could help spark artistry.

Majority of us would assume that in order for one to take action, there should be inspiration present through imagination or enthusiasm, when in reality, it’s the complete opposite; the need to act is what forces ingenuity.

This hindsight is expected of with the various misconceptions surrounding breakthroughs and how they are made. Stories like how an apple falling led Newton to discover gravity made it easier for us to fall into thinking that they come naturally.

Truthfully, they do happen yet they often occur sporadically. There’s a huge chance of failing if we only sit and wait for inspiration to strike.

Rana claims in the aforementioned article that action stimulates inspiration more than inspiration stimulates action. A certain song or art piece can inspire us and spark a brand new idea but nothing will come off it until we actually start doing.

The moment we start doing, we gain enough momentum that we become even more energized to continue the process. The more we become invested and engaged in the activity, the more we become inspired to learn, to improve and to finish.

The Art of Doing More

Instead of coercing yourself to do a task of importance half-heartedly, cut loose and let it go. Make a list of other smaller tasks that needs to be accomplished within today and start from there. Go through your emails or clean your room – these seemingly menial tasks can help you gain enough push to create a domino effect to tackle more.

Freelancers who’re fortunate enough to be members of coworking spaces can switch from one work area to another in between tasks. They can sit down by the communal areas to meet with partners and other collaborators or get a private desk of their own for some brainstorming. As they go through their To-do list, they gain enough momentum and end up finally sitting down on that great big project.

Inspired by the concept known as activation energy in Chemistry, these seeming menial tasks once done serves as the base amount of energy needed for a reaction to move forward. You now have enough energy to tackle a task that seemed difficult earlier.

At the end of the day, its core is finding a way around whatever it is that’s stopping you. Give yourself the freedom of having easier alternative and let it help you in finding the right direction.

Feeling stuck is alright, but staying isn’t. So go do something.

The Philippines is Considered as a Digital Nomad’s Paradise

The Philippines is Considered as a Digital Nomad's Paradise

Twenty years ago, Hitachi executive Tsugio Makimoto envisioned a revolution. One wherein technology would change humankind’s way of working. No more commuting or dull cubicles. The high speed wireless networks of the future will help millions of employees turn their dream of following their wanderlust into reality.

His vision later appeared in a book he wrote together with David Manners during the year of 1997 entitled Digtial Nomad but the public turned a blind eye to it. Years later, the concept resurfaces in a 2007 best-selling book The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich. American entrepreneur and author Tim Ferriss gave the world a sneak peek of globetrotting as they do their jobs over the internet.

Neither of them ever foresaw the impact modern technology could bring to our daily lives nor did they ever predict the rise of a new complex industry that will change what work is for us

A Brand New Workplace

An entire industry was born out of the booming sharing-economy. Originating from the remote workers of today’s labor force, digital nomads are this generation’s lucky freelancers who have made the world their office.

It has distinguished itself from traditional telecommuters by combining remote working and travelling – a dream that most Millenial’s have. It’s the ideal lifestyle for those who want to carry on with their usual business while on vacation.

In the US, 43% of employed Americans have experienced remote working last year at least some of the time according to the Gallup post published last February 2017. In addition to this, both the length of time working remotely and that of employees working full time continues to expand every year from 39% during the year 2012.

Its burgeoning industry had made easier for everyone to work remotely from the streets of Greece down to the nearby café in your area. Since its rise to fame, shared offices that allow professionals to rent work areas for temporary use made its rounds around the world. The most famous one being coworking spaces with over 13,800 providers globally.

Digital nomads can now easily transfer from one country to another without sacrificing their efficiency and productivity.

Philippines: A Nomad’s Paradise

Though often seen as a tourist destination, the Philippines have become one of the most sought after countries by international enterprises and is now considered as a digital nomad’s paradise.

Its booming economy allowed them to take over Mumbai’s position as the second top ranking BPO destination in the world. The local workforce composed of literate young professionals and their competitive labor rates cater to the numerous countries who plan on establishing their offshore sites. Several universities and schools encourage developing skills needed to be part of a competitive global labor force.

Besides the general considerations in terms of doing business in the Philippines, their lifestyle and culture also play an important role that favors the country as a digital nomad paradise.

Foreigners live comfortably in the nooks and crannies of the archipelago due to the hospitable nature of Filipinos, be it in terms of business or leisure. Locals are quick to give out a hand to those in need. No need to worry about getting lost in translation, most of them are good English speakers.

Wanderers would enjoy the Philippine shores and its breathtaking landscapes. Several world-class beaches can even be found 4 hours away from the bustling Metro Manila. Quick getaways are possible because of the several convenient ways to get around.

And when it’s time to start grinding, remote workers won’t have to worry about where to stay. The country’s capital alone is home to several coworking spaces that allows you to avail a membership or simply a dedicated desk that you can call your own for a few months. Most providers offer flexible rates and can accommodate a solo member and a whole team of professionals.

The Philippines is most certainly a country where digital nomads continuously thrive.