Five tricks to make a success of co-working spaces

Working from your spare room or dining room table has many advantages – not least the commute.
But when the disadvantages of always having to pack up your stuff or feeling like you can never
switch off from work start to mount up, a co-working space is the perfect solution. The overheads
aren’t high and you get to meet others working the same way you do, which could lead to
collaborations or even new business.
So what do you need to make co-working work for you? Here are our simple tips.

1. Choose the right space
There are a multitude of co-working locations available, so have a look round a few to find
the perfect one for you. You might prefer one where you have your own desk so you don’t
have to pack everything up and take it home at the end of the day. Other things to look for
include parking and the facilities at the office – availability of meeting rooms, internet speed,
telephone options, tea/coffee facilities and whether there are comfy break-out spaces to sit
and read through some information or just take a break from your desk.

 
2. Invest in some noise-cancelling headphones
By their nature, co-working offices are open plan and can be a bit more noisy than the
average office, with multiple people on the phone or chatting to one another. While this
might work for you most of the time, if you just want to get your head into a solid piece of
work some noise-cancelling headphones and your favourite tunes will be just what you
need.

 
3. Get your luggage right
There’s no question that you’ll be taking more things to a co-working space than if you just
wander into your spare room, so the bag you choose will need to be spacious as well as
practical. If you have a walk from the car park, something on wheels or a comfy rucksack
would save your shoulders/back from the inevitable aches and pains. Think also around
room to store notebooks, lunch, and any papers or folders that you need to bring with you.

 
4. Get comfy
Make sure you can adjust your chair to suit you to prevent the aches and pains inevitably
caused by not sitting properly. Know how to set up your desk so you are comfy. There’s
some simple advice here. If you need additional back support or a foot rest it’s probably best
to bring your own to make sure you can work in comfort.

5. Wear your best smile
Your hot-desk could be the perfect networking opportunity and, because most of the others
in the space will work mainly on their own they are likely to be up for a bit of conversation.
Think of it as an opportunity to create a network of colleagues even if you never work
together. And if you win some new work or meet a brilliant collaborator, that’s just a bonus.

Croft Myl offers co-working for just £120 a month. You get a dedicated high-speed
internet, a permanent desk space with storage,  reception service, use of our garden room as a break-out area and ability to rent our
fabulous meeting rooms with 5 hours per week inclusive. Give one of the friendly team a call to arrange a tour of our amazing
building on 01422 413035.