In a post last year, I discussed the pros and cons of working from a home office versus having a location separate from your home.  The author of this current guest post discusses sharing office space with other writers (renting a desk, in other words), a situation that I’ve heard is becoming increasingly common (but I have no data to back that up).

The Benefits of Renting Desk Space

While many small business ventures start out at home, whether you’re a frelancer or an entrepreneur, a move into office space could well benefit you greatly in the long run. Some people, such as journalists or web designers, may feel a home office is perfectly adequate; but there are many things worth considering before ruling out a move into a dedicated office building.

Professionalism, Progress and the Work/Life Balance

Working from home can offer distractions that prevent you from simply getting on with the job, as well as blurring the boundaries between your home and work commitments. Having a dedicated office space prevents certain distractions, such as the television or housework. By having an office space, you’ll also be adding a professional edge to your name. Whether it’s simply having an office address or a professional place to meet clients, an office address can give you an edge over the competition.

Leaving the home and heading to work can help you cross a psychological barrier between the two, as well as putting you in an environment conducive to work. One of the real advantages is that you‘re likely to be entering an area with like-minded individuals, often other creative freelancers.

This can be great both professionally and socially, as you can make new contacts, bounce ideas off of each other and even form friendships. Pus, you may find more work or be able to offload parts of jobs onto others who are more suited to meet different clients’ needs.

Flexible, Inexpensive and Hassle Free

Even if you can understand how an office may help you work and improve your business, you may be worried about issues such as cash and commitment. However, with the growing number of desk share schemes available, this fear is a thing of the past.

All cities and many towns now have a variety of shared and serviced offices available, where you can rent as little as a single desk for as long as you need, and as many hours or days that you need. Contracts tend to be monthly, with the flexibility to add more desks as well as cancel completely if you find it‘s not for you.

Better still, it is hassle free. Everything from the desk itself to broadband, heating and kitchen facilities are in place, giving you a ready-made office environment as well as security and insurance. And the prices start low, too, so you don‘t need to break the bank. The more you pay, the better location, facilities and style you‘ll find available.

Of course, if you want to make an impression, things scale up to professional, serviced offices with advanced facilities such as IT support, executive areas, post services and receptions. Plus, all the admin is done for you–all you need to do is turn up and pay the monthly inclusive bill.

Shared offices aren’t for everyone. Some people don‘t want the company–especially if they can‘t choose who they’re sharing office space with–and some want the choice of broadband supplier or furniture themselves. But for a lot of freelancers, a shared office environment can feel like a new lease on business and an introduction to a world of new possibilities.

About the author: Chris Marling writes on behalf of www.officegenie.co.uk, the UK’s first proper online marketplace for desk space and shared office space. [Note from Heidi: I was not financially compensated for this article. Even though the writer works for a desk space company, I feel his ideas are valid and worth considering, which is why I agreed to this post.]