We know that family life can sometimes be distracting. From finding quiet space, to epic bandwidth battles, balancing work with kids can be a challenge that many working parents will understand.
That’s why we created Flex. Ultra flexible, pay as you go coworking whenever you need it. And it’s super popular with the amazing mums and dads that choose to call Work.Life home. We spoke to some of them about how coworking has benefited their business… and their families!
Jamie Brown, Two Boys Ltd
Being a bit of workaholic I have spent most of my working life taking work home and then battling with distractions from my kids, wife and the general comings and goings of a busy household.
Finally, I decided to try co-working and did a mini co-working space crawl around NW and central London spaces. It is amazing the difference in atmosphere, working spaces, facilities and even types of business at each individual space.
I still remember the first time I walked in to Work.Life Camden – the greeting was the friendliest I had experienced all day and I knew from that minute that this was going to be the ideal space for me.
Over the last 18 months I have struck up some amazing relationships with other freelancers and businesses within the space and I love the sense of community that exists within Work.Life. Many of the members have become clients, some have provided services to me and my clients and I have also made some great friends. Despite working on my own I never feel lonely at Work.Life.
The facilities were also key – as a designer I wanted a space that would inspire the creative juices but that also felt professional and the Camden space definitely ticked those boxes. My clients love coming to the space for meetings and I regularly make use of the meeting rooms and breakout spaces for these – oh and the clients love the jelly babies and pretzels that are always available in the meeting rooms.
I love being a working dad, I love my kids so much they inspired the name for my new business, but being a member at Work.Life is the perfect distraction from home!
Jennifer Riggins, the eBranding Ninja
Work.Life is the coworking space of my dreams. Literally. I had a dream for a business that brought together the entrepreneurial atmosphere and freelancing and startup community of a coworking space, but that would allow me to still be with my baby, breastfeeding and the like.
See, I’m self-employed, so I couldn’t afford to take a long maternity leave and frankly I like my job. I’m also not that keen on the SAHM (stay-at-home mom) groups, who I just don’t have a lot in common with, even if they are rightfully taking the first year off to spend with their babies. I love that at Work.Life, with my local plan, I have a coworking community down the street from me that I can bring my sleeping baby to so I can get work done, outside our distraction-filled house. It’s also perfect that I have a wide range of hours to access it, so I can also work nights and weekends while my partner spends time with our baby, which is some of my efficient work. Work.Life is the first coworking space in London where I’ve found a true community, where I can focus on scaling my business while also having the bonding feel of colleagues and friends. It allows me the perfect blend of “adulting” and “parenthood.”
Nina Tascon – Strategic Partnership Director, Mucho
Coworking at Work.Life has been a great experience as a marketing professional, mum and yoga instructor! I’ve always felt good about coming here. Everyone is really friendly and it has a really nice vibe, going to work after school runs and the chaos at home is usually very satisfying. It’s also really close to home and to my daughter’s school, so I can move easily and run in case of emergencies.
Olivia has always been welcome at Work.Life! She gets offered a treat every time she visits, and she has made really nice ‘grown-up’ friends. Luckily, I’ve also had the chance to teach yoga at the London Fields & Bermondsey spaces, which has not only helped my business, but has also helped me make great friends, that have given me a hand when I’ve needed it.
Mark Tucknutt, Founder & Security Consultant, Toren Consulting
I’m Mark and I joined the Work.Life community when I started my own security consultancy business in April this year. With a young family, teacher wife and the summer holidays fast approaching, the early start-up dining room table business operation wasn’t going to work for me. But having partly taken a desk in a coworking office to avoid the family, I’m pleased to also say that the kids love it!
Nathan and Megan first visited me for a Work.Life campfire social on London Fields. I was chuffed that they were allowed to attend, let alone that they were made to feel so welcome. I took them for a tour of the office, which Nathan dubbed ‘the best office ever’; a title which had nothing to do with Work.Life laying on free Karma Kola.
They’ll be back over the summer holidays, my eldest in particular having asked if he can have one of the desks in a booth to sit and colour in next to me while I work. We’ll see how long that lasts, which I think will depend on me keeping him away from the jelly beans!
Thank you to all our working parents who choose Work.Life as their home away from home – we wouldn’t be the same with you! If you’re thinking of joining us, sign up for Flex today and get 4 hours free!
