The importance of human connection
The famous book Sapiens – A Brief History of Humanity by historian Harari has outlined what makes humans today truly different from all the rest of the species in the world. It is not the big brain, the ability to remember, form emotions, etc. as scientists have identified. The book already stated: The factor that makes humans have the power to evolve and develop is due to the ability to assemble into huge-scale communities. Unlike a pack of wolves, a herd of lions is limited to a few dozen or a few hundred, humans can gather in a group of up to tens of thousands, millions of people to move towards a common goal.
What made Homo sapiens so successful is that we are the only animals who are capable of large-scale cooperation. We know how to organize ourselves as nations, companies, and religions, giving us the power to accomplish complex tasks.
Human connection makes magic. That is why the words teamwork, brainstorming, working together, community, etc. have such great power in today’s human world. The connection between people in general, is the connection in the business community in particular, helping people with the same purpose, passion, and industry gather, come up with ideas and projects great, grow together, build together.
How to connect with people in shared offices
When you’re a freelancer, you can feel a little lonely, especially if you’ve just transitioned from full-time to freelance. If you are still adjusting to freelance work, you should try working in coworking offices to reduce loneliness. Working in shared offices makes you feel less alone because there are always other people around you. They don’t have to be colleagues from the same company, but freelancers or remote start-ups. And for this reason, making friends can be difficult. In this article, we will share our top tips on how to make new friends at a co-working space.
A great strategy you can try to get people to like you is to ask people to do something for you. When you forget something you need, try approaching the person next to you and ask if you can borrow something for a bit. Asking for something can be a way to start a conversation because you have the opportunity to introduce yourself and get to know them as soon as you approach them. Ask for recommendations on restaurants and cafes around the area: If you’re new to co-working, using this next tactic is a great way to start a conversation. When you don’t know where to have lunch, ask someone where the best restaurants in the area are. This is a great way to meet people and exchange knowledge about food and interesting places you can visit.
Moving from small chats to meaningful ones is your next challenge. Ideally, you should allow relationships to develop naturally. You can do this by starting light conversations from time to time and then inviting them out for coffee. Making new friends in a co-working space can be a bit daunting. However, it is quite an enjoyable experience. So get out of your comfort zone, put a smile on your face, start a conversation and make new friends that will help you enjoy your new freelance job!
In many cultures it is said that when you marry someone you also marry their family. Likewise, when you join a co-working space, you also join the community of that space. It is important to understand that you will be surrounded by individuals, entrepreneurs, and professionals of many other professions. Collaboration, networking and sharing are big business advantages that you will enjoy if you choose a co-working with the right community. Fortunately, finding a space with a great community doesn’t have to be difficult. When deciding if a community is right for you, you can ask yourself: Who are working at this co-working space? Are my skills a good fit for this community? Does this space host regular events for members to connect with each other? Would this co-working space help me to develop my ambitions? If you are looking to work at a co-working office in Ho Chi Minh City? Check out Hello World Saigon. We are a co-working space that offers diverse membership packages for different needs. Contact us for a consultation today!