In this day and age, there are more freelancers and entrepreneurs than ever before. While many of these people have no problems working from home or from their favorite cafe, many others need a structured work environment in order to focus and get their work done. Because of this, more and more freelance workers and entrepreneurs have looked into shared office space ideas as a way to recreate that environment.
What Are Shared Office Spaces?
Shared office spaces are basically temporary work spaces that can be rented out by anyone—whether by the hour, by the day, or even by the month. The popularity of these work spaces has led to the growth of more shared office space ideas, such as office spaces that provide Internet, office equipment, telephones, and more.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Using Shared Office Spaces
As a freelancer or entrepreneur you might consider yourself your own boss, but you will still end up sharing office space with other workers—many of whom view themselves the same way. This means you can’t treat them like you are the boss, since they don’t work for you. Nor can you treat the space like it was built solely for you. If you can’t get along with the people you’re sharing the space with, nobody is going to be able to get any work done. So be sure to follow these do’s and don’ts:
- Do use the space to your advantage – The entire space is there for you to use—you paid for it, after all. This means that you shouldn’t hesitate to take your laptop over to the couch to get a bit more comfortable, or to use the fridge in the kitchen area. Just be sure that you follow whatever rules and guidelines are provided by the shared office space manager.
- Don’t leave a mess – Although you are free to use the shared office space as you see fit, you are sharing it with others, which means that you shouldn’t treat it like your own office. This means cleaning up after yourself—don’t leave a mess in the kitchen space and don’t leave any trash behind, anywhere. You wouldn’t want to deal with somebody else’s mess before getting to work either, would you?
- Do interact with others – Aside from taking advantage of the benefits of being able to use everything provided by the shared office space to your advantage—from the printers to the conference room—don’t be afraid to also interact with fellow workers. You may find some like-minded individuals to develop a working relationship with, whether you hire them for specific projects or they hire you. You could even team up with them on a startup. They may even be able to help you with smaller matters by simply offering advice when you ask for it.
- Don’t be a distraction to others – While interaction is encouraged, be sure that you’re not distracting others. If it’s obvious that someone is trying to get some work done, you should probably just leave them be. Leave the interacting to when they’re milling around the break room or they’re cracking jokes with another person in the space. Additionally, if you need to hold a meeting or a serious discussion, do it in the conference room so that you’re not disturbing anyone.
Shared work spaces have taken off over the past few years because of the many advantages that they offer to people who do not have access to a traditional office setting. If you’re interested in the opportunity to invest in a coworking space with Venture X, then don’t hesitate to contact us today!