TIL coworking spaces aren't for me after a talk with a freelancer in Portugal

I was in Lisbon last month at this big coworking spot called Second Home. Been doing the digital nomad thing for about 2 years now, always in cafes or hostels. This guy named Marco sat next to me and saw me struggling with Zoom calls in a loud room. He told me he rents a tiny apartment with a desk and a fast router for $400 a month instead of paying for coworking. Said his productivity went up 50% when he stopped trying to be social while working. I tried his method for a week and actually got more done. Anyone else ditch coworking spaces for a quiet room instead?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_hannah2mo ago

Whoa wait, $400 for a whole apartment with a desk and good internet?! That's wild to me! I've been paying $250 a month for a hot desk membership at a coworking spot here in Austin that is always packed and loud. Honestly, I'm kind of shocked that's even possible. I always thought coworking was the only real option for getting work done outside of a coffee shop. But if Marco found a quiet place that's cheaper and actually helps you focus, that sounds way smarter than forcing yourself to be social. Maybe I need to look into renting a tiny room or a studio instead of throwing money at a membership I barely use.

king.ruby2mo ago

The social part is actually what makes coworking worth it for me. Marco's setup works if you never need to bounce ideas off someone or network between tasks.