Today I tried something different. I spent the day (working) in a co-working space. I’ve been freelancing for seven years and, apart from one brief working with a client in Swindon, I have been almost entirely home-based. Don’t get me wrong, this is an active choice and I love my blue-walled office, it’s comfortable, warm and I face the window so I can see the planes coming in to land at Heathrow and in the spring I get to hear (and see) the birds. But, I wondered if trying somewhere new might give me a new focus, it did!
I’ve had my eye on a place called Kindred for a while, it’s got a great basement bar (where I first learnt that upstairs was a social space – all the perks of a private members club without the exclusiveness). There are comfy sofas, good food, lovely people who remember your name, enough power points to go round AND it’s dog friendly; so dog friendly in fact that, provided you bring a blanket your dog can snooze on the sofa all day and that is exactly what my dog did.
More than anything I liked it in particular I liked:
- There being people around me working which helped me to focus on what I wanted to accomplish that day;
- The unlimited hot drinks and lunch (a warm brie and tomato chutney sandwich and a salad thank you very much) for a tenner;
- The space to spread out ;
- The friendly people – not just the people who worked there, everyone talked to each other and that was good too – there really was a community feel.
So, if you’re in west London and want to try out a co-working space that feels more calm cafe than office check out Kindred… map below!
