Once upon a time, working from home was a luxury. A stolen day in active wear. Coffee how I liked it. A secret thrill of no commuting, squirrelling away at the computer in the comfort of my home.
It seems like a lifetime when it was the exception, not the rule. Pre-pandemic, pre-my break-up with the 9-to-5.
And then, working from home was everyday.
I got freedom, but freedom without rhythm eventually caught up with me.
Self-employment gives us so much: freedom, flexibility and the ability to make our own rules.
But it also gave me:
- days that blurred into each other,
- conversations with no one other than my kettle and a sense of isolation, lack of creativity, and
- Friends thinking ‘working from home’ = ‘can you just…’
Home doesn’t always respect boundaries. The dishes glare at you. Deliveries interrupt your flow. And no matter how much you love your partner, pets or children, their very existence can pull you out of the zone.
And science backs up what I was feeling: isolation isn’t just lonely, it’s bad for business. Studies show prolonged solo work can reduce creativity and problem-solving by up to 30%, and our brains perform better when they can separate home from work.
That’s what I’ve found since opening ko&co workhub, and coworking within it. A place where I get my huma spark, and gentle structure, and variety my brain craves, without giving up the freedom.
1. Human energy is contagious, in a good way.
Your car or dog might be adorable, but they’re not going to nod knowingly after a tough client call or the pitch you just won.
Humans are wired for social mirroring. Our brains light up when we’re around others, boosting focus and motivation.
In coworking, casual interactions: a Meerkat moment, a water cooler chat, overhearing someone else nail their pitch, give you a microdose of energy that you can’t get at home.
These moments release dopamine and oxytocin, the brain chemicals that lift your mood, sharpen your focus and make problem-solving easier.
Basically, this means your cat may be cute, but she is not a work colleague.
2. Your brain loves a change of scenery
Working from the same environment day after day makes your brain… lazy.
Research from the Journal of Environmental Psychology shows that varied work settings, aka moving from your desk to quiet zones, meeting rooms, or collaborative areas, boost cognitive flexibility and problem-solving.
WFH days are elastic. Suddenly, its 11.45am and your biggest achievement is emptying the dishwasher.
Coworking gives your brain structure, the kind that makes it behave. This is called context-dependent focus, where your environment cues your brain: it’s time to work.
You arrive, you get in the zone. You leave, and your workday … ends.
3. Spontaneous collaboration beats Google and ChatGPT
Ever spiralled into a research rabbit hole? Potentially with no answer, just more questions? Sometimes what you need isn’t more WiFi or AI, it’s another human.
Coworking spaces create collision opportunities: casual exchanges that spark ideas and solutions.
The designer at the next desk may know the perfect photographer for your project. Or a fellow founder can sanity-check your pricing before you launch.
These are Meerkat moments, like head pops over a desk that turn into big breakthroughs.
4. Work needs rhythm and a little separation
One underrated perk of a coworking hub is a gentle structure.
When you leave the house and enter a space that signals ‘this is work time’, your brain shifts gear.
This is called context-dependent memory: your environment triggers mental cues that help you focus. In other words, your brain associates your coworking hub with productivity and your couch with Netflix! No judgment here, just science.
Leaving the 9 to 5 gave me freedom. But it turns out, freedom needs rhythm, human energy and a place to live outside my kitchen.
If your home office is starting to feel like a blur, maybe it’s time to give your work a new home for a day.
Book some time with me and tour our workhub. Or try a day with us with a Day Escape. Or book a meeting room and host a client in a space designed for meetings, not a Café
