About 10 years ago,coworking spaces were considered a strange solution for freelancers. But now, they're almost ubiquitous within the work-from-home community. Most major cities have at least one coworking space available for entrepreneurs, freelancers, or just anyone who wants an office away from home.
Recently, specially-themed coworking spaces have been popping up in metropolitan areas the world over. Some are geared toward engineers or creatives, and others arefocus on offering space for women exclusively. If you're looking for a pleasant work environment where your fellow women can lift you up, these work spaces might be your best bet. But what are the benefits of a women-only working space? Are there any downsides? Here's a few pros and cons to consider.
Pro: Female-focused career support and panel discussions
Networking and finding support in career development is key to survival for a freelancer,. Specifically addressing the hurdles women face in the workplace is also a great idea. It's women who often havedifficulty negotiating for a higher salary orstruggle with childcare. Or maybe have to navigate a boy's club environment in their chosen career path. Many of these spaces will host panel discussions of these issues with experienced speakers. Some have one-on-one mentorship programs. Others have dedicated career centers to help spruce up your résumé, practice your interview skills, and even train you in salary negotiation. A few even offer childcare for working mothers. No matter what it is, it can be nice to have a network to fall back on if you're running into challenges in your career.
Con: Most female-centric spaces are incredibly focused on single women
It's great to have networking and support for your career, but the majority of women's co-working spaces are specifically geared toward the young working professional. There aren't many workshops on balancing home and work life with a family. And for many working moms, visiting a co-working space might not be an option with their young children. There are a few spaces that do offer childcare on site, including Play, Work, or Dash in Virginia. But this is definitely not widespread and, given the tight regulations surrounding childcare, it's unclear whether this kind of service will catch on elsewhere. For working mothers, maybe a co-working membership just isn't worth the price.
Pro: Work around like-minded women and have the space to speak
When you're in the coworking space, you'll be around a lot of women who have the same goals and dreams as you. Maybe not in specifics, but at least in how much time they want to spend cultivating their career. You know when you walk in the building, you'll be surrounded by women who are working just as hard as you are. That can be motivating and comforting. Another plus for an all-women space is that you won't have to work to make yourself heard. Several studies have found that men dominate conversations in the workplace. This can be because men interrupt women or women just chose not to speak up. But in a female-focused space, there will be no men to take over the conversation. You'll be able to speak your mind freely and be heard.
Con: Women-centric clubs have been the center of controversy
These spaces have offered many resources to working women, but they don't come without controversy. Some critics argue that limiting membership to females only is discriminatory. The New York Human Rights Commission was reportedly investigating The Wing (a coworking space in NYC) for discrimination. Legal experts even say that preventing men from joining could be seen asa violation of the same anti-sex discrimination laws that were meant to protect women. But an attorney representing The Wing has said that the space follows the history of the laws' purpose empower women and level the playing field. So therefore, it is not violating any laws. No one is suing just yet and so far no complaints have been reported, but this new brand of coworking could be sitting in dicey legal territory. The debate could eventually end up in court.
- Why Women-Only Coworking Spaces Are on the Rise ›
- The Best Women-Only Coworking Spaces in San Francisco ... ›
- The rise of the female-focused co-working space ›
- The rise of women-only coworking spaces ›
- Female-focused coworking spaces offer career help and child care ... ›
- 5 of the best women's coworking spaces ›
Every time payday rolls around, I’m on top of the world. Jeff Bezos-level rich - even though I’m anything but. And then somehow the very next day, rent is due.
The cycle continues. The next payday, bills for my apartment. I find myself without a surplus of savings since I just moved and newly-furnished my apartment completely.
Even more terrifying is the looming presence of the holiday season. Halloween’s officially over and before we know it, hello Thanksgiving…and then there’s Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year’s. It’s insane.
I’ve been feeling very British lately. Not in a Union-Jack-obsessed, “Keep Calm and Carry-On” way. I went through that phase in 2012 with everyone else… no thank you. And it’s not even a surge of patriotism catalyzed by the Queen dying — I’m firmly team Diana and team Meghan.
Now that fall is officially here, the holidays will sweep in and I’ll have to contend with the fact that I won’t be spending them with my family in the UK. I went home to London earlier this year, so there’s not much left in my travel budget for another trip across the pond. A few domestic jaunts might be in my future, but the closest I’ll get to England this winter is watching Love Island and Love, Actually.
So in that spirit, I’ve been filling my days with content from my favorite Brits. I’m listening to all the old British rock bands I grew up listening to, patiently awaiting the new Arctic Monkeys album, and rewatching anything with Michaela Coel in it. I even shipped myself an order of British Baked Beans, so you know it’s dire.
I’ve also been watching British YouTubers like Grace Beverley — my favorite. Generally, I only go on YouTube to watch Vogue Beauty Secrets and AD Open Door videos. But I’m so glad I stumbled on Grace. Her content is a mix of London lifestyle (what lured me in), relatable entrepreneurship, and mindful productivity. I’m not a hustle-and-grind-girlboss, but as a creative person in a 9-to-5, I need all the help I can get to stay plugged in. So, the video “how to be really really really productive without getting overwhelmed” changed my approach to WFH.
Grace outlines her own productivity method: the to-do table. Instead of making a simple to-do list, she divides her tasks into a table that anyone can follow. As someone who’s survived with to-do lists for years, I recently implemented Grace’s method, and it’s revolutionized my workdays.
how to be really really really productive without getting overwhelmedwww.youtube.com
I follow her routine to a tee. Here’s how it works:
Essentially, she divides her daily responsibilities into four categories: quick ticks, tasks, projects, and non-negotiables.
- Quick Ticks: Actions that take less than 5-minutes
- Tasks: To-do’s that take up to 30-minutes. Probably don’t take too much brain energy.
- Projects: Long-term list items. These help guide your priorities, even if you’re not crossing them off in one day.
- Non-negotiables: Pick 3 things each day that you must get done. This is how you’ll truly measure success.
With everything written down and sorted, next address your schedule. Meetings, deadlines, and time blocks — whatever works best for you. Write it down. Then make a pact with yourself to stick to them.
This way of categorization provides a roadmap for prioritizing your day — making you far more productive. Have you ever spent the entire day on small tasks and then suddenly realized you hadn’t moved the needle on any task? Or do you spend way too much time on tasks that aren’t a priority? No more. With your non-negotiables laid out, you know what to laser-focus on and what to dedicate energy towards.
Also, it pays to know your working style. I’m not a morning person. Yet, I have to be up and at ‘em super early. So, first thing in the morning, I march through my Quick Ticks to warm me up. I set a time limit, so I can knock out some easy wins which is totally inspiring. Then I move on to bigger things without lingering on emails or admin. For others, it might be more helpful to tackle the big things with all that early-in-the-day brain power earlier.
Grace has great tips on avoiding overwhelm and burnout. My favorite is taking more intentional breaks rather than scrolling through social media. I call this scrolling “productive” because I’m “coming up with pitches.” Oh, the lies we tell ourselves. It’s more productive in the long run to giving my brain a break with non-screen related stimuli.
Grace’s solution? Set a timer to read a real, an actual book. I’ve never thought of this. It’s a genius way to check off some books on my TBR and kickstart my creativity. After reading a good book, I’m completely inspired to write. So having books near my desk helps me step away from the computer during my lunch break for an actual reset. (And yes, the current books I’m reading are by British authors: Assembly by Natasha Brown, and Love in Color: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold by Bolu Babalolu.)
In my pursuit of switching out my WFH set-up and getting my life together, I’ve engineered my workstation for success. With my new WFH essentials and Grace’s productivity technique, I’m revitalized for work — despite the fall blues and my melancholy about the pending holidays.
Here are the things getting me hyped for work and helping me crush my Grace Beverley-inspired to-do tables — no lists in sight:
Southwest Airlines Sale 2022
Pack your bags — Southwest Airlines is having a major sale! Fares are as low as $59 one-way if you book by October 3rd.
This end-of-summer super sale is a game-changer for your travel plans through the end of the year. Summertime travel gets all the glory. But why not take advantage of your long weekends, holidays, and PTO this fall. You’ll be surprised at how much travel you can fit in. Keep the fall/winter season exciting with domestic trips that give you all the excitement without breaking the bank. All thanks to Southwest.
Here’s the breakdown:
Where can you go?
You’ll find discounted tickets to and from most airports. Sale fares apply to cross country travel, and even Hawaii, Mexico, and the Caribbean! Whether you’re visiting a new city or revisiting your last beach vacation, this sale has fares to make your travel dreams come true.
What do the fares cover?
Southwest Airlines has multiple fare tiers, each with various benefits. Wanna Get Away fares start at $59, while Wanna Get Away Plus fares start at $89. You can also find great deals on Anytime fares, which offer priority boarding and express lanes. Then there’s Business Select tickets for a luxe experience at an affordable price point.
Do you have to be a Southwest Rapid Rewards member?
You may think these sale fares are too good to be true. Is there a catch? Do you have to be a Southwest Rapid Rewards member to access them? You’re in luck — anyone can attain these fares for a limited time.
But, insider tip, you should consider signing up for Southwest Rapid Rewards. With a free sign up, you earn points and miles with each trip you take. And with this sale, each dollar you spend on these discounted tix can stretch super far until you eventually earn free travel. The only thing better than a sale is free stuff.
So pack your bags and brace yourself for those chaotic airport lines. Everyone’s hopping on this deal so get on it. Don’t miss out — grab your sale tickets by October 3rd!
I’ve been browsing the Southwest Airlines site, checking out flights and dreaming.