Why Coworking is Good For Your Mental Health
Remote work has many benefits for employees, including greater work-life balance and job flexibility. When you work from the comfort of your home, you also save money on clothes and gas. While these perks are nice to have, there are drawbacks that come from staying home.
Loneliness is one of the biggest complaints voiced by remote employees. Traditional work environments provide structure and company culture, but these are often lost through the computer. Many companies try to combat this issue with virtual meetings and team-building activities, but it’s difficult to recreate the in-person experience through a screen.
Coworking spaces are a great compromise for remote workers that struggle to find connection when working from home. Here are some of the top reasons why coworking is good for your mental health.
Reduces Stress
Working remotely may be less stressful than heading into the office every day, but stress can build up if you don’t have separation in your work and home life. When you don’t interact with other individuals, you may get stressed from spending so much time in front of your computer screen. Going to a coworking space a few times a week can provide a change in scenery and reduce stress levels.
Fosters Connection
Even if you don’t spend time chatting while at your coworking space, being around others can foster connection. Have you ever noticed after a long week of working from home that you enjoy talking to the grocery store clerk or the drive-thru employee? As humans, we need these seemingly inconsequential connections. Talking to people through a screen isn’t the same as in-person interaction. When you head to a coworking space, being around other humans will make you feel good.
Boosts Productivity
You may assume that working from home provides fewer distractions, but the opposite is often true. When you change up your environment and head to a coworking space, you can boost your productivity and get more work done. Coworking spaces are often quiet, as others focus on their work. You also won’t have your pets there or the temptation of a television to lure you away from your work duties.
Change Up Your Environment
As mentioned above, changing up your work environment is beneficial for your mental health. While working from home is comfortable and may be a nice way to spend some of your work days, getting out of the house a few days a week and heading to a coworking space can provide structure to your week and give you something to look forward to.
Decreases Loneliness
A heads-down work environment works for some people, but occasionally working near others can decrease the feeling of loneliness and isolation that comes from working at home. In a coworking environment, other individuals won’t be working on the same projects as you but you can feed off their creative energy. When you want to strike up casual conversation, there are handfuls of people at your fingertips.
Improves Work/Life Balance
Many of these coworking benefits go hand-in-hand, which is why you may notice they’re repeated. When you work and live in the same place, it’s hard to draw a line between your office and home. You may find that your work hours bleed over into your social time. For example, if you watch television while working, you may get behind and then need to work through the night. Going to a coworking space can create a clear line between work and home.
You don’t need to be depressed or miserable to take action and improve your mental health. You may feel content in your remote work situation, but when you take a step back, you may realize how much happier you could be if you gave yourself more structure.
A coworking membership is a small sacrifice to make for a healthier mindset and an overall better life. If you live in the New York City area, you can reach out to Bevmax Office Centers to learn more about our membership options.