by Susan Evans, co-founder of Office Nomads
Thurs, 08/21/2008 - 8:10 — Susan Evans
Seattle loves independence. Our city is sprinkled with unique, locally owned coffee shops, small craft stores, food co-ops, and other ways to go against the corporate America grain.

Seattleites also have an independent approach to how they work. Head to any of the city’s parks at any time of day and you'll find yourself wondering "who are all these people? Don't they have jobs?" Of course they do - it’s just that more and more Seattle residents are striking out on their own as freelancers or consultants, or are able to jump on the telecommuting bandwagon. The benefits are obvious: flexible schedules, less commuting, and for some, being their own boss.

Like others escaping the 9-5 world, Seattleites seek creative places to work. Many carve out a space in their home or apartment while others seek space in local cafes. This is a good solution for some, but many workers run into a troublesome problem: isolation.

For the new nomadic workforce, working at home all the time isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. After a few weeks of spending most days in pajamas and feeling constantly torn between work and home life, many home-office workers start looking for reasons to put pants on and head out into the world. So they grab their laptops, go to a café with free wi-fi, and order a latte.

Soon enough, the glow begins to wear off. The coffee jitters disrupt concentration and the constant din of other customers and coffee grinders make it hard to take phone calls. Tables are often cramped and the wireless connection flutters on and off. There is minimal incentive or professional space to host client meetings. Then the realization: while surrounded by people, you’re still not talking to anyone. The isolation factor is still there.

Sound familiar? Don't worry. Seattle's got another solution in true Northwest independent fashion: coworking. This creative work solution has recently emerged in Seattle and is quickly becoming a popular way to work. No matter how you slice it, business is business and getting things done means having some basic tools: a desk, a reliable connection to the Internet, printers, conference rooms and yes, coffee. Coworking spaces offer independent workers all of these basic tools. But their members are finding that more importantly they provide an aspect of office life that until now could only be found in traditional offices: other people to interact with.

Community is a vital part of getting work done efficiently and creatively. There is inherent value in watercooler conversations because they go beyond just socializing; it’s a time to share ideas, provide helpful suggestions, and to get the creative juices flowing with witty banter. The founders of Citizen Space based in San Francisco declare this phenomenon "accelerated serendipity." Regular interactions with colleagues keep our brains engaged, free our imaginations, increase our productivity and make us better workers. And therein lies the beauty of coworking: it allows the best of both worlds. No looming boss or long commute, but a crew of creative colleagues who share the same interest as you do: getting work done.

Beyond Seattle, there are coworking spaces popping up around the world. Each of them have theri own feel and community, so take a look at the options near you. You can hold on to your individuality without isolation.

Office Nomads, founded by Jacob Sayles and Susan Evans is located in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, has a community of coworkers, all of whom are working on their own projects including Web development, journalism, marketing, telecommunications support, a doctoral thesis and more. In this space, members socialize and from time to time, even forge new business connections. Office Nomads members benefit from a casual work environment where dogs are welcome, no one is shamed for walking around barefoot, and taking off to play hookie is always supported. But when it is time to focus and get to work, members have all the office tools one would find in any modern office at their disposal including high-speed Internet access, a printer/scanner/fax machine, conference rooms. And yes, we also have the all-important watercooler and the daily gatherings that inevitably take place around it.

Continue the conversation about coworking in the FlexPaths Forum.