I Finally See The Benefits of Coworking Spaces

If you would have asked me 1 year ago if I liked coworking spaces, the answer would have been a resounding no. However, I had made a few mistakes by going to the wrong ones. Not every coworking facility is going to be the same, and they're not all going to be great. In fact, you'll probably like 1 out of the 3 coworking spaces you visit. 

Here are some of the reasons why I thought coworking spaces weren't for me:

1. I just enjoyed working from whatever my home was at the moment.

2. I thought I could go to a coffee shop instead and get the same benefits.

3. Distractions would be an issue, I thought.

4. Didn't think it would be an ideal place for video calls. 

5. I though it was an unnecessary expense.

To my surprise, once I started going to the right places, there were far more benefits than there were cons. Now, I change it up between working from my current home, local coworking spaces, and coffee shops or restaurants. When you are location independent, you might as well take the advantage to work from anywhere and change it up daily, amirite?

At Coworking Space: Publico Trabajo in Mexico City

Why Did I Start Loving Coworking Spaces?

In the past month, I have been traveling around Latin America with Job Trippin.' Basically, I decided to stop being a loner, and try something new: traveling with a group of digital nomads. The cool thing about this experience is that I'd get to hang out with likeminded people which is inevitably inspiring and challenges you creatively. 

Aside from having all the accommodations and flights arranged, another thing Job Trippin' offered in this adventure was: booking all the coworking spaces in every place we went to! 

What was awesome is that they knew exactly where to take us in each city we visited. I personally had two favorites: Publico Trabajo in Mexico City and Puch Village in Bogota, Colombia. Spending some time in each of these mega-cool spaces was enlightening. Suddenly, I understood the beauty of working from coworking spaces instead of by myself at home. 

Another area of Publico Coworking Space in Mexico City.

Here's what I found were the main benefits:

1. The Environment Fosters Productivity

I don't about you, but I deliberately take quite a few breaks (and a few 20-minute naps throughout the day) when I work from home. In a coworking space, I have more consecutive hours of productivity. When you see everyone grinding, it's easy to be inspired to hustle harder and get stuff done.

2. Collaboration & Networking

On a day in which I truly need to concentrate and slave away (like when I need to edit vlogs), I would probably not go to a coworking space. However, on days where I have more casual work to complete (such as e-mails, a few calls, catch-up stuff, writing), I like to go to a coworking space. In my breaks, I can talk to others and network. Now, that's a good use of a work break- isn't it?

By the way, when you really need alone time, most coworking spaces have rooms especially designed for calls so you can have total privacy.

3. Sense of Community

Even loners need to mingle and interact with others. We don't have an office to go to or coworkers to hang out with during the day. If you work from coffee shops or home every day, you might start missing human interaction. A coworking space is where you can get that sense of belonging - while still keeping your freedom. 

4. Great Value & Perks

You can get daily passes, and they're always under $20. If you fall in love with a space, you can also get a weekly or monthly membership - in which the price goes down significantly. With a membership you usually get some pretty badass perks, which are different in every space. Here are some things I've seen: networking events, fitness classes, discounts to restaurants, free water/coffee/cookies, etc.

Standing Desk Area at Puch Village in Bogota, Colombia

So, again... you're going to have to kiss a few frogs to find your prince charming AKA a coworking spaces that fits your needs. One thing is certain, though: they will always have the most reliable WiFi, if you're worried about that.

Most importantly, you are far more likely to meet your next business partner at one of these than at home. As independent as you might be, sprinkling in a few days of working from a coworking area can be what you need to get more inspired, be more creative, and overall a lot more productive. 

This vlog features my experience with Job Trippin' in Mexico City (including a stop at the Publico Trabajo Coworking Space.)

This overdose in travel blog post includes images from Mexico City and Bogota. Next one, who knows?

Andrea Valeria

I am a vlogger & digital nomad. I've created it's a Travel O.D. to showcase the lifestyle of full-time travelers and stories of other people with cool travel projects. To overdose in travel daily go read my captions on Instagram or watch my vlogs on Facebook.