What is coliving?
16 January 2024
5 reasons why to choose a RURAL coliving
13 March 2024
How to find your perfect coliving –
4 questions to ask yourself
As with most things in life, the general rule is: the better you know your needs, the easier to find what you are looking for. Now if you are new to coliving or remote working in general, you might not know what exactly it is that you need in order to have a pleasant experience.
So after having been a nomad for 4 years and run a coliving for over a year now, here are the questions I believe will help you make a choice that you are happy with:
1.) Where do I want to go?
If you have chosen to work from a place other than your home, you probably want a change of your routine, scenery or climate – or all at once? Most people start their search for a coliving by looking into a specific location. Do you want to be in a city or in the countryside? Do you want to be near the beach or in the mountains?
How do you envision spending your free time? Do you want to practice or learn a sport? Or dive into a different culture, explore the area? Or maybe you really just want to focus on a work project with little distraction?
When researching a destination, make sure the time zone works for you, check visa requirements, look into the climate at the time you are travelling and ultimately the options for things to do.
2.) What kind of community do I want to be part of?
Pretty much all colivings advertise meeting “like minded” people, which in my opinion is a bold statement. Chances are you will find people with a similar lifestyle but still very different world views, opinions, interests and passions. That is precisely what makes the beauty and challenge at the same time.
The question you might rather want to ask yourself is: what is a good size coliving for me? How many people do I want to share a space with? Is it aimed at a younger or older crowd?
Do you want a lot of organized communal activities and scheduled events? Or do you rather prefer to do your own thing while being around people?
Sometimes the descriptions of coliving don’t give away too much or sound very similar, so reading the reviews can give you a better idea of the people and vibe you will find.
3.) How much privacy do you need?
We all love the concept of coliving for the community aspect and meeting new people. But how much privacy do you need?
Are you OK to just go for a walk by yourself to get some space? Or would you rather have a private room to retreat to? Sharing a room is a financially very tempting option. It can be fun and sure is a great way to really get to know another person. Depending on your personal needs, your work agenda and the length of your stay, investing in a private room might be a good idea or even a necessity.
Sharing a bathroom is another thing that works well for some people while it is a no-go for others. Are you fine with carrying your clothes and toiletries down the hallway, finding the shower occupied, waiting 10 minutes (or more…) and finally stepping into the mess a less conscious person has left behind?
4.) What do I need to work well?
When planning your first coliving adventure, make sure your work requirements are being met, after all your job is what allows you to live this lifestyle.
Let’s assume that a good internet connection is a given in coliving places but is that enough for you? Will you be fine just opening your laptop and sitting down at a table in a common room next to other people and work?
Or do you need your own desk? Maybe an ergonomic chair? Are a big screen and a keyboard non-negotiables? Can you bring those things with you or do you want them to be provided? All colivings have some sort of co-working space, not all of them have an actual office.
The ones that do have an office sometimes don't provide equipment and the ones that do usually charge extra for renting it out. Do you have a lot of calls? Meetings, that you need the privacy of your room for? Or a call booth?
Once you have answered these questions for yourself, check the possible options. There are some great websites like colive values, coliving compass and mapmelon where you can easily find, compare and even filter colivings according to your preferences.
If some things aren’t clear to you from the website of the coliving, if you have any specific needs or questions, don’t be shy to get in touch with the place. Always better to be safe than sorry!
