Why We’re More Productive In A Co-Working Space Or A Café

Admit it. Instead of spending hours on your bed or your office table, you’d find yourself finishing more work or covering more ground if you stand up, stretch a bit, and get a table at a nearby co-working space or café.

Why? What’s magical about these spaces that they can somehow make you more productive?

 

READ: Why the Need For The ‘Work From Home’ Bill Is Real

 

We’re attracted to beauty and light

According to a study by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), 68 percent of employees complain about the light in their offices. Another study from the Light Right Consortium also found that when people are more satisfied with the lighting quality, they rate the space more attractive and feel generally more comfortable and satisfied with the environment.

 

All of these studies prove one thing: lighting and spatial use are critical in the productivity of a person. So if you’re stuck inside a dimly lit room to finish a mountain of readings or if you find yourself inside a boring office cubicle with only cubicles and whirring printers for miles, you’re not very much set up for success.

This kind of environment problem is what co-working spaces address. They try to make their spaces livelier, with better natural and artificial light, and more comfortable seats and tables. Having a space where an individual can be comfortable and satisfied is setting her up for greater productivity.

 

READ: Start A Productive Week With These Work Rituals

 

You’re surrounded by motivated people

People go to a co-working space for one thing: To work and get something done. This kind of environment and mood in itself is already the perfect motivation to get you working on yours. When you’re surrounded by people completely engrossed in their work, shame on you if you’d still have the audacity to procrastinate.

 

And speaking of people, what’s great about co-working people are the kind of noise that they produce. At the office, you’re sure to overhear conversations you’re interested in, and you’re bound to have officemates who think the whole floor needs to hear whatever they have to say. But ambient noise—this kind of noise is what you want.

In a study published in the Journal of Consumer Research, researchers Ravi Mehta, Rui Zhu, and Amar Cheem found that a moderate level of ambient noise actually does boost creativity for most people. Many apps try to recreate this kind of ambient noise, but why need that if a co-working space creates the perfect ambient noise for you?

 

Freedom from distraction and freedom to play with your schedule

At an office set-up, you’re required to take a break and eat at the exact hour everyone else does. When your officemate decides to have a chat with you, it’ll be so hard to resist and say no. When your boss calls you in for a meeting, you’re bound to get stuck for hours at a place where everyone talks and no one listens.

At a co-working space, there’s none of that. You won’t feel the pressure to join in the office chitchat when you’re "in the zone." You won’t have to delay your hunger or eat if you’re not yet hungry because you decide when to take your break. And when you’re tired or having a mind block, you’re free to stand up, pack your things, take that yoga break or a refreshing nap, and then go back when you’re energized.

 

A happier individual is a more productive individual

Overall, if you’re happier and more comfortable in a space, you’re bound to be more in the mood to create something beautiful and inspired. That’s why a great co-working space takes all of these needs and puts them together in one place.

 

READ: Co-Working Spaces To Check Out When Beating The Deadline

 

If you’re looking for something in the BGC area, Project T is a great well-rounded co-working space that ticks all of these things. Located in two buildings in Taguig, Project T offers quirky but comfortable working pods, rooms for those looking for a serviced office, and board rooms for high-profile meetings.

 

 

“I would say it’s an escape from the office scene. We wanted it to be minimalist because majority of people want to feel they’re working but they’re not. This is difficult to achieve in the usual space where they are cramped behind long desks working with other people. We want them to create their own space, which produces a refreshing environment where they can take a break at different spaces here easily,” says Nicole Dacula, Vice President of Project T.

On top of the well-designed working spaces, Project T also features new amenities for different needs. Working moms can leave their kids at the movie and game room while they work, and a lactation clinic is only a few steps away. To refresh after a long work day, they have shower areas and sleeping quarters before you head out. For a quick break, they also have a fully equipped pantry area and a gym. There really is no excuse to not catch up on your exercising when the gym is just a few steps from where you work!

 

 

Really, work-life balance is not a myth. You don’t have to give up being active or enjoying your time even when you work hard. You just have to find the perfect properties, the right state of mind, and the motivation to do so.

 

Photos from Unsplash