Co-working can play a big role in leading a more satisfying life. Leading a more authentic life and generally being more satisfied with life seems to be everybody’s mission.
Goals, dreams objectives all form part of why we get up in the morning. Really, we are looking for some form of purpose. To many, this is going to a job that provides value to customers, and in return, getting paid. Purpose can also be derived from being a great parent or maybe getting involved in a sporting activity that you really enjoy. Maybe your purpose is a combination of a whole lot of activities. Not all of them have to make you money. In fact, if money is your only reason for existence, it can potentially lead to unhappiness as you never have enough.
The Link Between Co-Working and a Happier Life
Living and working in smaller lifestyle type towns seem to become more popular as people can now choose where they live. This is simply because the lifestyle suits their requirements better and there is no need to live somewhere, just because they have a job to go to and have to be in the office. This has been one of the very few positive facts to come from the COVID pandemic. It has made us look long and hard at what makes us satisfied. We should try and combine as many of these functions together to create a holistic life.
All things being equal – and hopefully, if we can avoid strict lockdown – we are seeing a resurgence in people wanting to separate work life from home life. They are wanting a convenient place where they can quickly walk or travel from home. They want to be in their office with the flexibility of not having to sign long term contracts and the benefits of being a part of an office community and all the office amenities.
Enter the co-working nodes that are becoming prevalent in smaller Zoom Towns. These are towns that are becoming popular permanent residential options, most used to be holiday destinations.
Some secrets to creating a more satisfying life, using co-working spaces in Zoom Towns:
Find your work-life balance
Trail running, mountain biking, surfing, yoga… what is your favourite activity outside of work? Holiday towns become popular just because they allow you to get out do the things you really enjoyed for a few weeks a year. This includes activities you probably didn’t get around to doing because of where you lived for most of the year. You can now move to a town that fits in with your hobbies and get your work to fit in with these hobbies.
As an example, my perfect day involves getting up early and taking a 5-minute drive or 10-minute walk to the gym. Afterwards, I go into Co.Unity shared space and grab a coffee. I get my daily work done and by late afternoon my work is done. I either take a walk along the beach or play 9 holes of golf with a few mates. The total time I spend in the car a day is around 20 minutes. Weather permitting, I might not even use the car. In my previous town, I simply couldn’t get away with anything less than 2 hours a day in the car. So I spend the same amount of hours awake, I just have a better quality of life and better activities.
Be creative
Small towns generally have a theme. Think of how many smaller towns have traditionally attracted artists and these towns built themselves around creativity. You can see and feel it in the colour of the buildings, the type of restaurants and the festivals these towns host. By simply being present in the town, you get your creative juices flowing. I know that Hermanus has a traditional Art Walk on the first Friday of each month, where you can walk the streets visit various galleries and socialise with great artists and other creative people. Creativity is food for the soul. In a similar manner, shared working spaces are designed to help you be creative during your work times. These interiors are designed for inspiration. And, with the mix of different people using the space, you might well be a little more creative than if you stuck in a home office all day.
Spend wisely
Right now, it is cheaper to rent a house in some smaller towns. To get the equivalent space or dwelling in a large metropolitan area is still more than most Zoom Towns. We do realise that this will change, so there is no better time to make the move or maybe invest in property in these smaller towns. Spending less time in the car reduces travel costs and outdoor activities are generally free, like mountain climbing, biking surfing etc. Your living costs may well, therefore, come down, for a better lifestyle.
Co-working spaces also offer flexible office time, with offices on demand. You only use these when you can afford the office. Most companies will give employees an allowance and they actually prefer it if employees are working in some form of office. You can get an official invoice from the shared workspace company for time spent in the office. The invoice can cover everything from printing to coffee and boardroom use.
Build meaningful relationships
Small towns are known for their festivals, town get-togethers, weekend markets and various other activities. All this gives you a chance to meet people outside of pubs and clubs and generally, you can start forming really good, long-lasting friendships. Getting outdoors and doing activities with family also helps improve the family bonds.
Shared workspaces also give you an opportunity to integrate into the local community. You get to meet like-minded people or people that are new to town who are also looking for ways to connect. Because of the flexibility of co-working, there are new faces regularly and you never know who you could be sitting next to and how they could grow your business in the future.
Looking for satisfaction may require a change in scenery, and the old adage “A change is as good as a holiday” has never been easier. Moving to your dream town and still being able to work, with very little risk, is now a reality. Check out your dream area, see if it offers co-working spaces and you are on your way to living a more satisfying life.