Working from home has its perks – but let’s be honest, some days the fridge is too close; the sofa is too tempting, and even the ironing sounds appealing! That’s where coworking comes in. But turning up to a space without the right kit – or the right expectations – can leave you less productive than if you’d stayed at the kitchen table or your home office.
Here’s our guide to what to look for in a coworking space, and what’s worth packing in your bag before you head out the door.
1. Can you actually take a call?
Before anything else, think about how you work, day to day. If your job involves regular calls – client check-ins and team stand-ups – you need somewhere you can do that without disturbing the whole room (or getting shushed).
Look for a space with a dedicated phone booth or a quiet area you can duck into. It sounds like a small thing, but it makes a huge difference to your day when you’re not hovering by a window trying to find a spot with decent signal and no background noise.
2. A second screen changes everything
If you’re used to working across two monitors at home or in the office, going down to a single laptop screen can feel like trying to work with one hand tied behind your back. Some coworking spaces provide screens you can plug into, but if yours doesn’t, a portable monitor is a brilliant investment – lightweight, foldable, and it slots straight into your bag.
3. Good headphones, your choice of soundtrack
Shared spaces mean shared noise – other people’s calls, chatter, the coffee machine. A decent pair of headphones lets you tune it out and get into your own flow, whether that’s a curated focus playlist, a podcast, or (no judgement here) the same three songs on repeat. Noise-cancelling ones are worth the investment if you’re going to be a regular.
4. Save your neck: bring a laptop stand
If you’re in for a full day, hunching over a laptop screen for hours will do your neck and shoulders no favours. A portable, foldable laptop stand is one of the simplest changes you can make – it raises your screen to eye level and makes a genuine difference by the end of the day. Pair it with a separate mouse and keyboard and you’ve basically built yourself a proper ergonomic setup, wherever you land. You can get portable ones so again this doesn’t need to be a big bulky stand.
5. Check the charging situation
There’s nothing more frustrating than arriving somewhere, laptop on 12%, and discovering the only plug socket is under a desk in the corner – or that it’s USB-A when your charger is USB-C. Before you commit to a space, have a look at:
- How many sockets are actually available at each desk
- Whether they’re spread around the room or clustered in one spot
- Whether there’s a mix of USB-A and USB-C ports, not just traditional plugs
It’s worth packing a multi-port adaptor or a small extension lead just in case, along with your charger – better to have it and not need it.
6. A few extras worth packing
- A reusable water bottle – staying hydrated is an easy win for concentration, and most spaces will have somewhere to refill.
- A notebook and pen – not everything needs to live on a screen, and jotting things down away from notifications can help you think more clearly.
- A light layer – shared spaces can run warmer or cooler than you’re used to at home, so a jumper or cardigan you can add or take off is always handy.
- Your own mug or reusable cup – small thing, but it makes the space feel that little bit more like yours.
Coworking, sorted
The right space paired with the right kit means you can turn up, plug in, and actually get on with your day – no faff, no half-charged laptop, no shouting over a bad phone line. At Ely Work Collective, we’ve thought about all of this so you don’t have to: quiet spaces for calls, plenty of sockets, and a space designed around how people actually like to work.
Pop in for a look, bring your laptop bag (fully kitted out, of course), and see what a productive day away from home can feel like. You might also want to have a look at our new online shop that has a few of these bits that might help create and carry your cowoking kit.
*Image courtesy of Luana Burton Photography – https://www.luanaburton.com/
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