Why you need to make virtual coworking your 2023 superpower

What is your 2023 resolution? I know, big question, and the kind of goal-oriented thought you may be asked to reflect on to start a virtual coworking session. But with good reason…

If you've landed on this page the chances are you're looking for support with your workflow. Remote workers today (myself included!) have many struggles in common, such as loneliness, a lack of motivation, or a lack of structure. In fact:

• Nearly two-thirds (66%) of people who spend time working from home say they’ve felt isolated or lonely

• 53% of remote workers between the ages of 18 and 29 complain of a lack of motivation

• 36% of remote workers have changed their working hours from what they were in-person

Giving yourself space to think about your goals each time you begin work is beneficial for a myriad of reasons. Procrastination is something that all of us grapple with – perhaps you’re even reading this article as a form of procrastination, to avoid digging into challenging tasks.

By setting clear goals for yourself before entering a state of deep work, you can avoid procrastinating further and straying from your purpose. This is where virtual coworking comes in.

Learn more about virtual coworking

Composer and FLOWN member Alice Boyd shares her experiences of virtual coworking

What is virtual coworking?

Virtual coworking is a method of working simultaneously with others in a digital space, such as a Zoom call. You have the freedom of working from wherever you are – an office, your backyard, even your bed – whatever works for you.

So what does a virtual coworking session look like? L’Oréal Blackett, a remote worker and writer for Refinery29, recently tried one of Flown’s virtual coworking sessions, called Flocks. She described it as:

Flown runs various session types, but the average Flock will go something like this:

1. You join a Zoom room to find 30 or so others like you — freelancers, professionals, solopreneurs etc.

2. “What will you work to achieve during today’s session?” you’ll be asked by your facilitator, after a quick preamble and warm welcome.

3. You briefly meet two or three strangers in a breakout room (called mini-flocks) to share your answer.

4. You work silently on your task alongside your fellow Flockers for the next hour or two, and invariably end up getting far more done than you’d thought possible.

💡 For more on experiences with FLOWN, read about what our members say.

How virtual coworking helps you get more done

It seems too good to be true, right? Which is why 88% of members who try Flocks come back for more. Virtual coworking helps make people more productive by implementing tools backed by science, including body doubling.

How body doubling works

Body doubling might sound like something off of a movie set but it's a term that was coined by those studying ADHD and ways to improve its symptoms.

Body doubling was first discovered while observing 'parallel play' between kids. Parallel play is when two children sit side-by-side both working on separate tasks. Unprompted and without intervention, the two children will play for hours comforted by the presence of another person in the room. Some minds work best when around others, even without communication between the two.

Body doubling is one of several key practices used by Flown’s Flocks, each proven to help stave of procrastination and trigger focus. The intention setting, accountability, and measured stints of focus are all proven to hugely benefit your work:

Community and accountability affect productivity. Having a physical anchor often brings people mental clarity. Accountability is a huge factor in why virtual coworking spaces are effective.

Learn more about body doubling

FLOWN’s ADHD hack:
as seen on Refinery29

How virtual coworking with FLOWN works

FLOWN offers a variety of resources focused on different areas of need. Flocks have several practices that aid focus, but there are also other products beyond Flocks – such as Portholes, Awe Walks, and breath work sessions (both live and on-demand).

• Portholes: A cinematic video accompaniment to help you focus

• Awe Walks: Meditative exercises and sensory challenges to get you away from your desk for 10 minutes, so you can return refreshed and raring to go

• Airflow: Live breathwork sessions designed to renew your focus and boost wellbeing

Based on key aspects of behavioural science and neuroscience, Flown’s assortment of tools and resources offer an incredibly effective way to help you arrive at focused states of mind with ease, so that you can do better work, and more of it.