Dr. Gleb Tsipursky – The Office Whisperer
Nirit Cohen – WorkFutures
Angela Howard – Culture Expert
Drew Jones – Design & Innovation
Jonathan Price – CRE & Flex Expert
- Studies from The Instant Group show that coworking spaces offer a more productive environment than working from home.
- Many coworking spaces provide workspace and leisure amenities, with social events overcoming isolation and encouraging community, providing a fantastic taster of coworking culture.
- Flexible membership options, such as day passes and discounted bundles, make coworking spaces a convenient choice for busy holiday schedules.
The Christmas countdown has begun, and with shorter days and colder weather, it’s tempting to stay home during the workday instead of commuting to the office.
But does working from home leave you battling endless distractions, with little time or motivation to tackle year-end tasks as the holidays creep closer?
With just over a month left in the year, there’s still time to tick off your to-do list so that you can enjoy a relaxing Christmas instead of worrying about unfinished work rolling into the new year.
The solution? Working from a coworking space or “third place” to stay productive amid the holiday bustle.
Here’s how to make the most of flexible workspaces before 2025 begins.
Coworking for optimum productivity
Despite having the perfect home office setup, working from home can at times not be very conducive to a productive work day, especially leading up to the festive season.
Housework piles up, shopping lists grow, family is more present during the holidays, and all those deliveries turning up can constantly pull you away from work when you’re at home.
A recent study by The Instant Group found that only 27% of respondents rated their productivity highly when working from home.
Meanwhile, 45% rated excellent productivity when working from a coworking space.
This study found that flexible workspaces “empower workers with greater choice and autonomy over how and where they work can make a major difference in productivity.”
For instance, the flexible nature of coworking spaces allows you to choose when and how long you work there, making them ideal for fragmented schedules.
Whether you’re juggling caregiving and parental responsibilities, or simply requiring focus time during a busy week, a coworking space can help you when it’s crunch time.
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Coworking spaces are equally flexible in their membership options, with most offering everything from day passes to rolling monthly contracts.
During the festive season, check out bundle options — like discounted multi-day passes — to make crunch-time workdays more manageable.
It’s not just about work
Coworking spaces provide amenities to enhance various work tasks, such as soundproof meeting rooms and phone booths, podcast studios (currently all the rage), and breakout spaces that double as cafes.
Workspaces typically come with a mix of open-plan spaces for more collaborative tasks and opportunities to connect with others and more private workstations for focus work.
Beyond productivity, coworking spaces often prioritize well-being with leisure facilities that make it easier to stay active and healthy.
With 93% of workers declaring that “their physical well-being impacts their work productivity” this year, finding a workspace solution that merges the two is a plus.
For example, premium flexible workspaces offer leisure amenities like gyms, yoga studios, and even spa facilities, within the building, to help you stay physically active.
Meanwhile, local coworking spaces partner with neighborhood businesses to provide perks for community members, like discounted fitness classes or gym memberships at local leisure clubs.
Equally, some workspaces have launched running clubs or fitness groups combining community with working out.
Making social connections
The other downside to working from home is the social isolation that comes with working by yourself.
A Knight Frank survey found that 40% of workers reported how remote working detrimentally impacts their mental health. But equally, if you’ve been working a hybrid schedule it’s likely that your office has become much quieter as the end of the year nears.
Being deliberate about where you’re working can be the solution for both boosting productivity and alleviating loneliness. Working from a local coworking space or “third place,” which can be a great way of meeting your neighbors.
For instance, if you meet someone in a coworking space, you’re more likely to stop and chat with them if you bump into them at weekends or at your local park.
These social interactions can strengthen a sense of belonging in your local community.
Additionally, commuting via active travel methods, such as cycling or running, energizes you before you’ve even begun working.
People need connection, and coworking spaces address this by bringing people together in the workspace through organizing socials, networking opportunities, and workshops.
In the lead-up to Christmas, attend a holiday mixer or Christmas party — it’s an easy introduction to the coworking culture and a chance to meet like-minded professionals.
You might even enjoy being at the workspace so much that you join permanently in the new year.
Finding a flexible workspace
If all of this entices you to find a coworking space to spend your last few workdays of 2024, then it’s time to find one that suits you.
Start your search by identifying what you’re looking for in a coworking space — whether it’s proximity to home, premium amenities, or a strong sense of community. Then, search for spaces that meet your criteria.
Find a coworking space by Googling options or using a booking app to search for options. Research thoroughly first to ensure your chosen space is a good fit — read reviews, understand where it’s located, which amenities are on offer, membership pricing, and ask friends for any recommendations.
Book a tour to explore the space to get a taste of the coworking culture — many coworking spaces offer free trials or day passes when you visit, and this provides a fantastic way to experience the coworking culture, and meet the team and community before committing.
Finish strong before the new year
Flexible workspaces provide the perfect balance: a professional, distraction-free environment close to home and a sense of community that inspires focus.
Give one a try for your last workdays of 2024, and start the new year on a productive note — with a supportive community and an inspiring coworking space.
