Coworking Without Confusion – How To Stay Focused In Collaborative Work Spaces
There is nothing that speaks to industry better than a room full of professionals and entrepreneurs hashing out ideas during the peak of the workday. The buzz is more than at room level, and there are groups of people working at hot desk workstations while others collaborate in a close by area. People come in and out of the break area, some with cups of coffee and snacks in their hand and others with simple bottles of water.
This scene is a very good description of the coworking landscape in any office around the world, and while each country might have its own twist on coworking, workday cacophony is the one thing that many spaces share. In the United States, professionals are on their cell phones, or better yet, engaging in conversation while overly intrusive professionals nearby interrupt the discussion. This mid-day office vibe is one that can make even the most focused professional become distracted at work.
Continue reading for more information regarding remaining focused in a space that fosters collaborative work.
Sit Away From The Crowd
If your schedule is such that it requires you to work in the space during peak times, considered sitting away from the crowd. Most coworking spaces have workstations and then there are break out areas where those who want to either take breaks or to collaborate can gather. Please look at Servcorp America’s coworking space at http://www.servcorp.com/en/coworking/ to see how one fit out organises its office for both work and social interaction. If possible, sit away from the centre of activity to avoid being distracted by side conversations that happen during the course of the day.
Establish Your Boundaries
When working in the space, it is very easy to get distracted by people stopping by to converse throughout the day. In the course of the day, you can find it is possible to lose a lot of time from repeatedly being interrupted. For this reason, if you find you are having to stop work to engage in conversation, without being rude, explain to your coworking mates your limitations and suggest another time to engage in conversation. The point is to set boundaries for the people who are great to talk to in the workspace but can be a great distraction if you even stop five minutes to speak to each person.
Take Breaks
While it seems a paradox, you do want to take small breaks. Small breaks, even bathroom breaks, give your mind and body a change of scenery for the few minutes you are away. At some point in the day, take a few longer breaks to recharge and refresh. It is always easier to focus on a topic and to draw on inspiration and creativity when you have walked away from work for a while then after staring at the project for a long time. The whole point is to create a fluid workday where both small and large breaks interrupt long stints of work.
Invest In Headphones
Finally, invest in headphones and plug into a station that can provide you with concentration-inducing music. Turn the sound up to a tolerable level and enjoy your music while tuning out common distractions that make up the work day. Music provides a beat to work along with and can actually improve our mood while at work.
Working Above The Buzz
The coworking space’s benefit is that it is a very social place that allows businesses to complete a number of functions. At the same time, this very social atmosphere can make it difficult to work at times. However, by scheduling your time in the space for times when the space is less active, or alternatively, by working away from the hub of activity, you can reduce the impact of office on your focus. Furthermore, taking breaks and investing headphones can be other ways to make concentration a priority in the space.
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