I finally tried a coworking space for a month vs working from home

I spent August at a WeWork in Austin for $200, but my productivity went up maybe 10% while my commute cost me 3 hours a week. Now I am wondering if the social side is worth the money or if I should just stick to my kitchen table. Has anyone else found a big difference in focus between home and a shared office?

2 comments

2 Comments

sanchez.ivan7d agoTop Commenter

I saw a study recently that said the biggest productivity bump from coworking spaces isn't the actual work environment, it's just getting out of your own house and away from your own distractions. For me, the 3 hours of commute time would kill the whole benefit, since that's basically a half day of focus time every two weeks burnt on driving. A better test might be trying a coffee shop rotation first to see if the social buzz actually helps you before committing to a membership.

jesse_smith107d ago

Gotta disagree here honestly. A coffee shop is way different than a coworking space because you're still dealing with loud conversations, limited outlets, and that pressure to keep buying stuff. I've tried both and the coworking space gave me actual quiet zones and stable internet which made the commute worth it. Plus that 3 hour commute sounds brutal but depends where you live - mine is 20 minutes and I get podcasts done in that time anyway. The separation of work from home is huge too, like mentally I can actually clock out and leave work behind instead of just walking to my couch.