Changed my mind about coworking spaces after one afternoon at a library

I always thought coworking spaces were a waste of money for freelancers. Last month I was working from a library downtown and this graphic designer next to me showed me how she splits her month between a cheap space and home. She said the 50 bucks a week gets her out of her own head more than any productivity app. Has anyone else found a cheap coworking spot that actually helped their focus?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_cameron1d ago

My buddy Jen tried working from home for like six months straight and she was going crazy. She finally tried one of those cheap coworking spots that's just a big room with tables, costs like 40 bucks a week. She said the first day she got more done in three hours than she normally did all week at her apartment. She always talks about how just being around other people typing and taking calls somehow tricks her brain into actually working instead of doom scrolling. She even met another freelancer there who referred her to a client that paid way more than her usual work. It sounds dumb but I guess the whole "body doubling" thing is real for some people.

rosepark1d ago

Granted it works for some people, but I tried the coworking thing for about a month and found it pretty distracting myself. Too much background chatter and people walking around, couldn't really get in the zone. My home setup is quiet and I can control the temp and noise level, which matters more to me than just being around other workers. I think some folks need that social pressure to stay on task, but for others like me it just adds another layer of noise to filter out.

charlieh741d ago

Oh man, I actually have to jump in here because "body doubling" is a real thing with some research behind it! It's not some weird internet trend. People with ADHD especially use it as a legit coping strategy. The idea is that your brain kind of mirrors the focus of people around you, so if they're working, you start working too. Your friend's experience lines up with a lot of what I've read about it. It's not that different from how some people study better in a library than in their dorm room. It's a real psychological effect, not just some made up productivity hack.