Repeople’s coliving spaces are all about sharing life and work experiences at a fantastic location. In fact, we understand the experience of “coliving” as an opportunity to be part of a community that shares the same values and where, every now and again, the right people meet and become good friends or colleagues.
However, experience has shown us that there are some essential rules to making the day-to-day coliving experience enjoyable for everyone – and ensuring there are plenty of opportunities to balance work and leisure.
In this article, we’ll show you seven ways to make your coliving experience the best yet.
Here they are:
1. Get to Know Your New Fellow Guests from Day One
From the moment you set foot in a coliving space, you should try to get acquainted with your new colleagues as soon as possible. A simple “Hello” when you cross paths in the hallway or in a common area is enough to break the ice. After that, you’ll have plenty of time to chat in the coworking areas or during some of the activities organized by the coliving space, such as conferences, dinners, excursions, and parties.
The important thing is that you make an effort to get out of your comfort zone, even if you’re shy, so that you can feel part of the community as soon as possible.
2. Pay Attention to What People Are Sharing (or Not Sharing)
Even though we’re talking about a coliving space, and the general atmosphere is one of community and collaboration, not everyone will be willing to share everything. For example, each person will normally pick a shelf in the refrigerator for food that, for various reasons, they might not want to share with others.
As such, a vegan guest, or someone with celiac disease or special dietary requirements, might be annoyed if you help yourself to their shopping, as that might leave them with little to eat themselves.
Also, the coliving space might provide some shared staples, such as coffee, sugar, salt, and oil, and you might not use them at first thinking that they belong to someone else. So, the best thing to do is always ask what you can and can’t use.
3. Keep Everything as Clean and Tidy as Possible
Many arguments between house mates are related to cleanliness and tidiness. Luckily, coliving spaces are different, because you don’t have to worry about cleaning your room or your bedding and towels, as this is all included as part of the coliving space’s services. But you will have to clean kitchen utensils every time you use them.
Another important thing to bear in mind is tidiness. This applies more to common areas than your own room. You should try not to occupy all the available space, and think about the comfort of your fellow guests.
4. Try to Keep the Noise Down (unless There’s a Party Going On 🥳)
Noise in working areas can be another source of conflict among coliving guests, given that they might have very different work arrangements – some will have night shifts, while others will be early birds who need a good night’s sleep.
So, in many situations, you’ll need to keep the noise down by
- using headphones while you work or listen to music;
- talking quietly in common areas;
- refraining from making calls or videocalls in the coworking space.
If you follow these three basic rules, it’ll be smooth sailing. What’s more, coliving spaces tend to have a personal working area within each private room to allow guests to do deep work sessions (see Repeople’s coliving spaces in Gran Canaria) – so everything has been thought out to minimize these potential inconveniences.
5. Speak Up if Problems Arise
Sometimes, a simple, well-intended comment is misunderstood and can become a huge problem if it isn’t addressed in a timely manner. When problems do arise, address them straight away before they become even more of an issue.
Conversely, if any issues arise with the services provided by the coliving space, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the staff. They’ll be happy to help you and make your experience better. 😎
6. Visits Are Allowed, but in Moderation
Can you bring someone to the coliving space? The answer is yes, but it would be a good idea to approach the subject with the group first, especially if you are sharing a room.
Familiarize yourself with the coliving space’s visitor policy to make sure you let them know in advance if necessary. If your invitee would like to take part in a specific activity or work in the coworking space, they might need to pay an additional fee.
7. Take Part in Joint Activities and Have Fun!
The best thing about coliving spaces is taking part in joint activities: multicultural dinners with other guests, conferences, skill-sharing sessions with your fellow guests, trips to find out more about local amenities, morning hikes or beach trips, barbecues, late-night parties …
A coliving space is not just accommodation – it’s a way of life that allows you to discover many new places and meet new people while you work remotely.
So why not participate in as many activities as possible? This will be the experience of a lifetime, and you’ll meet people from all over the world who might become good friends or future work colleagues.
So don’t think twice and live the coliving experience to the full – there’s no reason you can’t work and have fun at the same time.
Are you ready to find out more about the coliving spaces Repeople manages on Gran Canaria?
Click here for more information.
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