The next phase of home-based working !
By Darina • Dec 15th, 2008 • Category: For WAHMsI know, I know we haven’t quite grasped the first stage of working from home and we’re apparently moving on to the next !
One of the down-sides of working from home, can often be the isolation. Sure there are ways to interact online and with phone calls etc.. but sometimes we do miss the normal social interaction of an office space.
Well enter co-working the next stage of home-based working. It’s an emerging trend for a new pattern for working. Coworking is the social gathering of a group of people, who are still working independently, but who generally share values and who are interested in the synergy that can happen from working with talented people in the same space. It’s different from using resources such as business incubators etc.. it’s a much more casual arrangement. I touched on this a little bit when I spoke about 1 Alfred place recently and I certainly saw it in action there.
In the states where the number of home-based businesses are rocketing, coworking is becoming really popular. Groups of home-based workers often get together on a monthly or more frequent basis in either a large rented out space or the function room of a cafe or bar and just get on with working! The difference being there are people around you to bounce things off, to share ideas with and to even cultivate joint ventures. You can read more about it at http://workatjelly.com/
It’s even taking off here, I came across a website www.coworking.ie which keeps upto date with the emerging trend here in Ireland.
So if you’ve been putting off working from home or starting a home-based business because you fear the isolation then maybe it’s time to start thinking again ! There’s always ways around things !
Darina
Hello Darina
I am a work at home mum as well, and I love it(usually) I only started it this year because I was sick of the rat race, and of being permanently tired and irritable. I love being at home, not having to travel. I can wear what I like, but your point about it being isolative rang bells with me, actually I am glad of the distraction free time I have while my children are at school and I just have to remind myself that come the summer I will be able to sit in the garden with my laptop, and then it will feel like I really have escaped the rat race!!
Hi Darina,
Just to let you know that I contacted ‘not enough hours’ when you emailed us all about it and it seems I am sufficiently disorganised and lead a hectic enough life for them to decide that they can sort me out! I’ll let you know how it goes but I was very impressed with Owen and the producer when I met them.
Merry Christmas,
Lorna
Hi Darina, thanks for pointing to Coworking.ie - I’m one of the co-authors. Good timing too as our friends up in Belfast are making serious inroads on getting their first center launched.
Lorna, that’s great I look forward to hearing more !
No Problem James, I think it’s a great concept I must come along to one of your meetups