Virtual Co-working

I hate meetings.

No matter how much gets talked about in meetings, it’s rare that anything gets done.

Yesterday, the team and I were in a two hour meeting, except this meeting was different. It wasn’t talking, it was working.

We were working on Detox Local. In those two hours, we measured data, came up with creative solutions, built spread sheets and implemented our plans. It was some of the most productive time we’ve spent together all year.

It got me thinking about how virtual work will continue to change and evolve.

What we had wasn’t a meeting as much as it was a virtual co-working session. There were even a few 20 minute gaps in our meeting where one of us said “hey guys I’m still here but I need to focus on getting this done” and then would return 20 minutes later with the next data sheet completed.

It was very efficient.

Is “virtual co working” a real thing? Is it a legitimate way to bring people together? Is there an opportunity here?

The benefits of this was the instant communication of small questions and ideas. When we were all in the office together, there were countless times when I needed walk into David’s office to get a password or ask him a question. Now, I have to either slack him or send him an email and get an answer back a day later.

But in virtual co-working, it was instant.

I think from now on, we will stop having meetings and have virtual co-working sessions instead.

P.S. - I’m serious about the opportunity. I think it would be really cool to create co-working rooms. Even make it so strangers could meet up and run ideas past each other?

Could be cool.