We’ve written before about coworking – the idea that a batch of web workers and other independents can organize their own cafe-like shared workplace and enjoy the benefits of conviviality as well as a permanent place to park things like widescreen monitors. If you’ve been hopping from Starbucks to Starbucks, or working in high-tech isolation at home, this idea might be sounding pretty darned good to you. For many people, the only thing wrong with the office is the boss; coworking offers the former without the latter.
But how do you find like-minded collaborators and creative types to join you in coworking nirvana? Why, being a good web worker, you use the Internet! Here are three great resources to help you chase the coworking dream:
1. Start with the Coworking wiki. In addition to lists of resources and general information on the coworking movement, it hosts pages on individual coworking efforts in cities from Austin to Vancouver, as well as in Europe, Asia, and Australia. This should be your first stop to find out if someone is already on the trail in your city, or to start a wiki page if you’re the pioneer.
2. Sign up for the Coworking Google group. Fairly low traffic, this group is still the best place to monitor or participate in discussions of current coworking efforts. I wouldn’t even dream of trying to set up a new coworking space without trolling through the archives here: this group is your chance to learn from other people’s great ideas (as well as their big mistakes).
3. Read the Coworking Community Blog. Recent posts have covered a survey of current and potential coworkers, the economics of coworking, and several live events. Posters include several of the high-profile ringleaders in the coworking movement, and reading this blog will key you in to many other resources. Check out their get involved guide.
Of course, the trick is to go beyond reading to action. With the natural human urge to collective action, and the experience of past movements like co-op and cohousing to draw on, I expect we’re going to see much more coworking in the years to come. Web workers in urban areas are a natural fit for these efforts.
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