Break-out office space

Did you know it’s possible to rent break-out office space in self storage units for short periods of time? Neither did I, and so I’m pleased Big Yellow have provided today’s sponsored post:

Working from home is the dream for many who’re trapped in the 9 – 5 world, working traditional jobs. And it’s true there are unprecedented benefits, with flexibility being high on the list.

It’s not always ideal, however, to have a home-based office, even if you have the luxury of a dedicated room for business. Now and then, there’s a need for break-out office space. For instance:

• During school holidays you may need to escape the constant demands of bored children (assuming you have someone to keep an eye on them).
• You may have a collaborative project coming up, and need somewhere for group meetings or joint creative ventures.
• Staff interviews, conferences or other business meetings may need more space than your home office offers.

Here are a few alternatives to consider:

1. Hot-desking or coworking
The growing trend of hot-desking is hardly surprising given recent self-employed statistics. The Office for National Statistics reported last year that 15% of the UK workforce is now self-employed, the highest number since records began. Hot-desking and coworking are two phrases often used interchangeably but which started out as different but similar concepts.

Hot-desking is more frequently used by companies with regular employees, but which don’t allocate personal desks. When the workforce needs computer access on an irregular basis, they grab a free desk and work there for as long as necessary.

Coworking brings together diverse self-employed people who don’t want to work alone from home. It’s the ideal situation for those times when the home office is either too easily interrupted or when you’re feeling disconnected from the rest of the world.

Unfortunately, a sense of isolation commonly goes along with the flexibility and freedom of home working. Coworking environments, where like-minded individuals work individually but together in one space, can be motivational, creatively inspiring, and a fertile ground for developing business ideas and contacts.

2. Meeting rooms
Even freelancers and other home workers sometimes need to host informal meetings, training sessions or conferences. Obviously, the kitchen table or home office falls short for business events such as these, but what are the alternatives?

Room hire by the day is available in cities and towns all over the world, with easy booking through online searches at sites such as MeetingsBooker. Hotels, conference rooms, offices and function rooms can all be searched and prices assessed. With some, you can also add in equipment at the same time as booking the venue, for instance if you need presentation technology or catering equipment.

3. Temporary or short term office rentals
Collaboration between freelancers or other self-employed people is easier than ever with online tools and apps that connect people around the world. But what if you need somewhere to meet and work in person?

Break-out office space that’s secure, private, but short term for the duration of the project, say a month or two?

In this scenario, neither co-working or meeting room solutions solve the problem, and neither does commercial office rentals with their high costs and long-term contracts.

In these situations, a little known solution is offered by some self storage companies in the form of flexi-offices. They’re ideal for short term, collaborative projects as the terms normally run for just a month and the rent includes utilities.

Another advantage is the storage opportunities right on the doorstep. If you’re running training courses, for instance, you may need somewhere short term to store equipment, and having a storage room right next to the office would be perfect.

There are always solutions to every problem when you know where to look. Home working is perfect most of the time, but every so often you need to break out, find a bigger professional space, or just get more 3D human interaction back in your life.