The coworking concept has revolutionized our work day in more way than one – but did you know there were health benefits too? Members of coworking spaces tend to experience less stress and work related anxiety than the corporate office dweller. Here are the top five reasons why.
1. Reduce your commute
The typical Long island NYC commuter spends nearly four hours each day on public transit between the LIRR and the subway. Four hours. Instead of stressing about your train into Penn Station being late, shouldn’t you be worrying about more important things?
Having a local coworking space closer to home goes a long way. Being closer to home means you have more time for your personal life, and thus, work-life balance is made easy.
2. Take a break from your “real” coworkers
When you work in an office fifty hours a week, chances are you spend more time with your coworkers than you do your own family. Take a day to telecommute from your local coworking space with other motivated, likeminded individuals from all industries and trades.
New people mean new ideas, and new ideas mean boosted inspiration and motivation.
3. A change of scenery
Being confined to the same gray cubicle walls for eight hours a day, five days a week is a great way to drive yourself into an unproductive slump.
Not to mention the fact that stuffy traditional office space air and halogen lighting are a hindrance to your productivity and mental clarity. A change of scenery in a new office is a surefire way to spark creativity.
4. A change of pace
Sure, you can get a lot done in a New York minute – but by lunchtime, you’re beat. Coworking spaces outside the madness of the big apple allow you to slow down and relax while you work. In fact, Office Vibe’s coworking survey found that 60% of people felt more relaxed at home since becoming a coworking space member.
Especially during summer time – would you rather be in a cubicle on the 20th story of a stuffy high-rise? Or in an office space minutes from the beach with boardwalk bikes and a surf rack? Tough call.
5. Make your own schedule
One of the key contributors to employee happiness is schedule flexibility. A Beijing University study found that Chinese call-center workers who had the option to work remotely took fewer breaks and were more efficient in their roles.
A similar study from LRN found that organizations who allowed their employees more schedule freedom with make your own workweek policies, were 10-20 times more likely to outperform companies with regimented schedules. Plain and simple – more flexibility = less stress.
