For many employees, remote work came as a revelation: we took home tasks we’d always known could be done there, happy to keep our jobs during such an unsettling time as the pandemic. By the beginning of 2024, working remotely was commonplace, with Forbes stating as many as 98% of employees prefer this work model. After all, nothing beats the comfort of your kitchen table or living room desk, where you can type away in your pajamas. Right?
In the four years of widespread remote work models, their biggest appeal has also turned out to be their most significant disadvantage. While working from home cuts down on costs, cancels commutes, and supports employee autonomy, it also blurs the line between private and professional life. There is no actual ritual to clocking out, no bus to catch or traffic to avoid, no clothes to change or social media posts to catch up with—it’s just a matter of pressing the turn-off button on a computer, often swapping one type of screen time for another. Not to mention that for those who thrive on going the extra mile, being able to work from home slowly and surely became synonymous with overtime or even round-the-clock availability. Responding to an out-of-hour email does not seem like a big deal, let alone a sign that you might be starting to toy with your mental health—but by all accounts, it could be.
According to SHRM, 40% of remote workers face an increased likelihood of experiencing anxiety and depression symptoms—5% more than in-office workers. When you go to the office, you enjoy clear boundaries between work and private life, as well as diverse environments, socialization, and a sense of community. Those are all factors that promote mental health at work. But what if your employer doesn’t have an office in your area? That’s where coworking comes to the rescue.
The case for coworking
In short, coworking is a unique arrangement that caters to remote workers of any kind: think digital nomads, self-employed individuals, as well as those who work for overseas companies with no local office. In addition, coworking creates a space where mental health and work come together naturally. Literally speaking, this space has everything you need to do your tasks efficiently, from basics like high-speed internet and ergonomic furniture to unique features you wouldn’t just get at home, such as professional printers. Then, there are those elements focused on health and wellness. Coworking spaces give you access to various recreation areas: lounges, coffee nooks, gardens, and even meditation rooms or proper gyms, in some cases. Plus, you can expect fresh coffee and healthy snack options.
The benefits surpass the space itself. In a coworking office, you get to socialize and network every day as you meet people with various personal and professional backgrounds. While they are not your colleagues, your common goal of working well on all fronts creates a sense of belonging that alleviates the initial awkwardness. If that sounds healthy, keep in mind it is still just one of the mental health benefits of coworking. Let’s explore the others!
5 ways coworking spaces improve your wellbeing
- The tools you need for a good work-life balance
A clear distinction between your personal and professional life is the single most important perk you get with coworking. When you leave home for work, you swap your private space for a dedicated workspace. This separation allows you to manage your energy effectively, focusing on one aspect of your life at a time. Yes, it may require a commute, but the resulting sense of balance is priceless, particularly for your mental health.
There’s more. Thanks to their key locations, coworking spaces give quick access to anywhere you need to be. You can build a routine out of going to the gym before work, booking a table at your favorite restaurant for lunch, and stopping by any number of shops and markets before heading home. If you make new friends at work, chances are the nearest pub is within close distance, should you want to grab a drink. The flexibility of coworking spaces, such as 24/7 access and the ability to choose your own work hours, can help you maintain work-life balance and improve your mental health. It’s wild how important location is to our daily lives, and coworking offices can help you enrich yours.
- Community, connection, and collaboration, all in one place
We cannot stress this enough—coworking is where everything social is at home (well, at the office!). From a professional perspective, there’s hardly a better place to spend your day-to-day. At a regular office, you meet your colleagues, which is good enough. At a coworking space, however, you meet a variety of workers who may or may not work in the same field as you, people who may inspire you, help you, and, who knows, maybe even lead you to your next job opportunity. Unlike traditional offices, coworking spaces allow you to choose who you talk to, sit next to, and who accompanies you to lunch, everything based on your connection with them rather than the similarity in the job position.
Reaching out to others is one of the advice staples you get for improving your mental health—and for good reason. If you find it hard to ask for help, chitchatting with like-minded individuals at work will be a significant first step towards combating the sense of isolation remote work often comes with.
- Facilitating your growth
According to a 2023 article by Zippia, 69% of workers stated that performing their tasks in different settings helped them stay productive. The same percentage of workers also declared that they managed to pick up new skills during their time in coworking spaces. These are just two of the positive outcomes that are statistically proven to have to do with coworking, and it just so happens that they are related to professional and personal growth. Whether you build up your skills or learn new ones, coworking spaces give you the room and the environment to evolve.
- The kind of flexibility that promotes autonomy
By its very nature, working remotely offers a high degree of flexibility. You choose the location, organize your time, and you may even choose the hours, all of which lead to a sense of autonomy that, in turn, supports your mental health. Coworking is all about that and then some.
When you choose a coworking space, you get to keep all the benefits of remote work while enjoying in-office perks. You have all the equipment you need and some you didn’t know you needed, such as the professional-looking and quiet environment of a conference room. The internet is always on par, and the printers never run out of ink and paper. Basically, you don’t need to worry about anything but getting work done—and once you do, the sense of accomplishment that comes with it does wonders for your well-being.
- A guard against loneliness
Working from home gets you dangerously close to a feeling of isolation. Even if you don’t live by yourself, you work by yourself, and chances are, your interactions with your colleagues are either few and far between or entirely related to the task at hand. While life generally doesn’t feel lonely, your time at work does, eventually taking a toll on your wellbeing.
Choosing a coworking space is not only a ticket to socialization but also a way of turning every hour into quality time. In other words, the time you spend at home with your loved ones will be about you and them, with the time you spend working not taking any of that away. In turn, you will be fully present at work, making the most of your interactions there and creating a separation between private and professional life that can only be beneficial.
Wrapping up
Working is hard enough, so there’s no reason to make it harder by ignoring the level of comfort in your environment. Coworking spaces may not be for you, but at the same time, they may completely change your life—for the better. If you want to try it out, WeWork has several options you can check out. Who knows, your mental health might thank you for it!
