Have you heard of the term co-working? It’s an increasingly popular way to work where independent businesses, freelancers, entrepreneurs, creatives and more, work together in a shared, collaborative space.
My friend Dez, who co-owns The Creative Hive in west Edmonton with my other friend Mike, puts iit really well:
Co-working is designed for you to work on your own but never be alone!
Being in a co-work space allows you to network, communicate, meet people, get creative, and just be collaborative. There’s a lot of benefits to co-working that I’ve recently learned and wanted to share with you!
At the end of the post, I also share details on how you can enter to win a month of free co-working!
(Note: I partnered with The Creative Hive on this blog post).
5 Things You Maybe Didn’t Know About Co-working
I started working from home in March 2019 and while it’s been an amazing experience, two key challenges I face and have learned being on my own is that working from home can:
- Be extremely distracting: My two cats and two dogs and proximity to the couch for quick naps can really derail an afternoon lol
- Be a bit isolating: I talk out loud, a lot. And love bouncing ideas off people! I can definitely talk with the animals but they don’t really give me the same input back lol
That’s where co-working can really make a difference!
For me, getting to spend some time in a co-work space, breaking up the week, getting out of my house, working on my own but not BEING alone, and being able to focus while getting the opportunity to chat with people in the shared office space, has been a great way to combat those working-from-home challenges.
Here’s a few other things you might not have known about co-working:
1. Co-working isn’t just for a specific type of industry or worker
You might not see yourself as someone who co-works or someone who can benefit from co-working but co-working can truly be for everyone—you’ve just got to try it to figure out if it’s a fit.
Whether you’re a freelancer, big business, or small growing business, whether you’re a graphic designer, photographer, videographer, accountant, consultant, or whatever your industry and area of expertise, co-working can be for you.
If you’re looking for more structure in your day to day work, or perhaps want to be around or interact with more people (whether they’re directly related to your business or not), or you just are in a stage where you’re considering a shared desk or office space, co-working can be for you.
2. Co-working increases productivity and happiness
Truly. Co-working has been around long enough now that studies report people who share co-work spaces are more productive, happier, motivated, and creative—essentially, being in a co-work space helps people thrive.
The distraction challenge I face when I work from home is totally common. It’s said that having too much flexibility in your day-to-day can negatively impact productivity. Dropping in or spending a few days a week at a co-work space can add structure and focus to your work, thereby increasing productivity and overall happiness!
3. Not all co-working spaces or experiences are the same
As you look into co-working, visit some spaces, and take some tours, you’ll find very distinctive ‘vibes’ and also different services for each space. Edmonton is home to about a dozen co-working spaces and they all bring something attractive and different to the table.
I was really attracted to The Creative Hive for a few reasons:
- My friends co-own it, lol.
- And they’re awesome people so I know their space and service would awesome too!
- It’s located on the west end of the city.
- Most co-working spaces in Edmonton are more centrally-located which makes a ton of sense for a ton of workers, but my home office is west so I like that the co-work space is also west. It’s more convenient for my purposes, it doesn’t add a whole lot more commute time to my day, and it’s nice to have co-work spaces exist outside of the core
- There’s ample, free parking!
- Which is something that can’t necessarily be said for the more centrally-located co-work spaces. Not needing to pay for parking is a pretty great work perk
- There are some really creative businesses currently using the space.
- So you never know what you’ll encounter when you pop into the office, like a photo or video shoot!
- It’s one of the best new event rental spaces in the city!
- The Creative Hive is quickly becoming ‘the’ place to book your event in the city—from weddings to work-outs, conferences, launch parties and employee appreciation nights, there are some really cool event spaces within this building
- It’s got a serious amount of indoor Instagrammable Walls.
- And of course I would love that! I know a ton of people itching to get to The Creative Hive to take advantage of its highly photographable backdrops. Even their bathrooms are gorgeous.
- There’s a ton of office perks!
- From of course free Wi-Fi, to tea, coffee and snacks in the kitchen, access to a printer, a mailing address and mailbox, board rooms, studio space and common areas (including a super lovely courtyard), and being a part of an amazing community Dez and Mike are trying to build, there’s a lot to love about The Creative Hive
I encourage you to look up all co-working spaces in the city and weight their services, space, pros and cons before you make your decision, but I couldn’t recommend The Creative Hive more!
Plus, if you mention my codes LINDA10 or LINDA20 to them, you can get 10% off their daily drop-in rate or 20% off their monthly membership.
Learn more about The Creative Hive
4. Using a co-work space is not an all-or-nothing situation
Maybe you or your business isn’t in a place where you need a full office, or even a shared desk. Maybe you only need a dedicated space for business meetings. Maybe you only want to be away from your animals during the day once a week (lol). Whatever your situation, know that taking advantage of co-working spaces and the services it offers is not an all-or-nothing situation.
Most co-work spaces offer tiered membership depending on what you really need. Sometimes that is just a mailing address that isn’t your home. Sometimes that’s just an every-so-often drop in desk.
This sort of goes back to whether you think co-working is or isn’t for you—it could really be for you, depending on your situation and what you need.
5. Co-working is about connection and community
Co-working is all about the people—it exists to bring people together, so people can work alongside or collaboratively with other people. Co-work spaces help people connect with likeminded or completely not likeminded individuals and businesses (both have their advantages!) It takes some workers out of the isolation they might feel at home, or it knocks down silos that might be engrained in existing office spaces (which is why increasingly large businesses are turning to co-working too), and it ultimately helps you and your business grow.
I love that there are so many co-working options in Edmonton!!
And I’m so happy for my friends Dez and Mike, the community their trying to build, and the incredible space and services they’re offering at The Creative Hive.
I am not a co-work expert by any means, but I’ve enjoyed learning more about co-working the more I drop into The Creative Hive’s space.
Visit The Creative Hive on Aug 9, 2019 during Co-Working Week!
To celebrate Co-working Week 2019, The Creative Hive is offering free co-working from 9 – 3 p.m. on Friday, August 9, 2019 so you can check out what they’re all about, see their incredible space, and get a taste of whether co-working (in general, or at The Creative Hive) is for you!
There will also be live artwork, food and ice cream trucks, free calligraphy, and I’ll be hosting a mini-Instagrammable Walls of The Creative Hive tour at 12 p.m.!
And now I’m excited to give you the chance to experience a month of co-working at The Creative Hive!
** GIVEAWAY **
Enter to win one month of co-working at The Creative Hive (16819 111 Ave.) in west Edmonton!
You could win a one month ‘hot desk’ membership (valued at $250) which includes:
- Building Access Mon – Fri from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Desk to work (first come first serve)
- Access to all common areas including the kitchen, lounge space, and courtyard
- Fast Wi-Fi and printing
- 1 hr. of boardroom rental for the month
- Unlimited Coffee/Tea/Snacks
There are a few ways you can enter to win, you can do one or all of these to qualify:
- INSTAGRAM ENTRY: Follow @CreativeHiveYEG + me (@lindork) on Instagram and leave a comment on my Instagram post and tag someone who might be interested in co-working
- TWITTER ENTRY: Follow @CreativeHiveYEG + me (@lindork) and retweet my co-working tweet!
- FACEBOOK ENTRY: ‘Like’ The Creative Hive + me (Lindork – Linda Hoang) and leave a comment on my Facebook post tagging someone who might be interested in co-working!
- BLOG ENTRY: Leave a comment on this blog post telling me what you think you’d like most about trying co-working! Please note: blog comments are moderated and may not appear right away!
I will pick a randomly selected winner from all entries received by August 23, 2019 so you can get all set for a month of co-working in September! (or any month you choose lol).
—
Thank you to Dez and Mike for partnering with me to talk a bit about co-working and co-working in Edmonton. Congratulations to you both for starting such a beautiful space and growing community!!
You can also read this 2019 Avenue Edmonton feature on co-working! And I encourage you to follow @CreativeHiveYEG on Instagram—you’ll really get a sense of their community through their posts!!
Linda
“Like” my Facebook Page: Lindork – Linda Hoang
Disclaimer: I partnered with The Creative Hive to experience and highlight why co-working might be a good fit for you! This does not impact opinions stated in this post. I truly believe co-working is a great option for changing up the way we (SOCIETY lol) work, with lots of benefits that go with it!!
4 Comments
As a freelancer, I’m So used to working in isolation at home…would like to see if something like this would up my productivity
I’d love free coffee, tea, and snacks!
I recently spent 5 hours at the Creative Hive last week for a comp trial run. I got So Much done! No home distractions, just my laptop and the time and space to get what I needed done for the day. The space has a fantastic vibe. I met a few people that I never would have met at home lol. So, that alone made this even more of a successful co-working day for me. I’ve checked out a couple of other spaces in the city. But, this space was easily a new fave.
I’ve been a member of a coworking space for over a year now. The space is beautiful, the people are friendly and I have met some of my best friends there. I love the place and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a collaborative environment with minimal commitment.