Decalogue for a perfect remote-work routine in a Coliving Space

1. Define Your “Sacred” Productivity Hours

In a coworking space, the key to maintaining a stable routine is not having more hours available, but knowing exactly when your best working hours should happen. Coworkings and colivings are social, dynamic environments where something is always going on: a spontaneous conversation, an organised activity, people coming and going, or last-minute invitations for a coffee or lunch. To prevent your day from dissolving into interruptions, you need an untouchable time block that acts as the backbone of your working day. These “sacred hours” are a conscious decision to prioritise your work above external noise.

Why it is essential

In a dynamic environment like a coliving with coworking areas, external stimuli are constant. If you don’t decide when you work, the environment will decide for you.

How to define it

• Identify the time of day when your energy is highest (mornings, afternoons, or evenings).
• Set a fixed daily block, for example from 9:30 to 13:00.
• Communicate it to the people around you so they respect that space.
  
  

Additional tips

• Use the “Do Not Disturb” mode on your phone.
• Establish the same ritual at the start of each block: coffee, open your agenda, review your priorities.
  
  

2. Choose the Space That Best Matches Your Energy Each Day

One of the strongest advantages of a coworking space is the variety of environments it offers, something you won’t find in a traditional office or at home. However, this variety only works in your favour if you learn to use it strategically. Your energy level, motivation and concentration capacity won’t be the same every day. That’s why choosing the right space each morning is a key act of self-management: aligning your surroundings with your internal state to maximise performance.

Initial question

When you arrive: What kind of energy do I have today, and what tasks do I need to tackle?

Types of spaces

• Silent zone: deep-focus tasks.
• Open desks: light or collaborative tasks.
• Call booths: video calls or meetings.
  
  

Recommended ritual

Before sitting down:

• Review your tasks for the day.
• Determine the type of work you’ll be doing.
• Choose the appropriate space based on that assessment.
  
  

3. Keep a List of Three Priorities

Coworking spaces have a dynamic rhythm that, while motivating, can scatter your attention if you don’t have a clear guide. It’s easy to fall into the trap of “being busy all day” without actually making progress on what matters. That’s why the simplicity of a three-priority list becomes a strategic tool. This list acts as a filter that reminds you which tasks are truly important, even when your environment becomes more social or noisy.

How to apply it

Every morning, write down the three key tasks that, if completed, will make your day productive. Everything else is secondary.

Benefits

• Mental clarity.
• Fewer distractions in lively environments.
• Better alignment between effort and objectives.
  
  

 

4. Use Opening and Closing Rituals

Working in a coworking space means your surroundings are constantly changing: new people, different seating areas, activities, schedules and social dynamics that come and go. In such a variable context, rituals act as stabilising anchors. They are clear signals that tell your brain you are starting or ending a particular stage of the day. These rituals reinforce your internal discipline and help you avoid relying on external order.

Opening ritual

• Arriving at the coworking space.
• Reviewing your agenda.
• Setting your priorities.
• Creating the right atmosphere (silence or focus-enhancing music).
  
  

Closing ritual

• Reviewing completed tasks.
• Recording what is pending for the next day.
• Tidying your workspace.
• Shutting down your laptop and physically leaving the coworking space to symbolise the end of the workday.
  
  

5. Respect the Space’s Rules and Contribute to the Community

Coworking is not just a shared physical environment: it’s an ecosystem where coexistence is supported by both tacit and explicit rules. Each person influences the experience of everyone else. When people respect the space, the coworking area becomes professional, pleasant and efficient. But when rules are frequently broken, the atmosphere can deteriorate quickly, affecting not only your productivity but also that of the community. Understanding this transforms your relationship with the space and makes you an active rather than a passive member.

Common rules

• Speak quietly.
• Use headphones for audio.
• Do not occupy meeting rooms without booking them.
• Leave the space clean.
  
  

How to contribute to the ecosystem

• Help new members find their way around.
• Share useful resources.
• Suggest activities or recommendations.
  
  

 

6. Alternate Deep Work and Real Breaks

It’s easy to become mentally overloaded in a coworking space: the mix of social stimuli, pending tasks and surrounding conversations can drain your energy without you noticing. That’s why the balance between deep work and genuine rest is fundamental. It’s not just about performing better; it’s about avoiding the mental exhaustion that accumulates when you don’t manage your levels of attention and effort. Strategic breaks help maintain sustainable focus throughout the day.

Recommended methods

• Pomodoro (25 minutes of work, 5 of rest).
• 50–10 blocks.
• 90–20 blocks.
  
  

What a real break is

• Standing up, stretching, walking for a few minutes.
• Drinking water or preparing tea.
• Looking out the window or stepping outside for fresh air.
  
  

Scrolling through social media is not a real break.

 

7. Physically Separate Work and Rest

When working from a coliving space, the temptation to “do everything from your room” is always present. However, mixing work with your personal space directly affects your emotional wellbeing and productivity. Your brain needs clear physical references to understand when it should be active and when it should relax. If you blur those boundaries, you may start feeling stressed in the place where you should unwind, or disconnected in the place where you need to focus.

Reasons to do it

• Better sleep quality.
• Increased concentration.
• Clear mental separation between responsibilities and personal life.
  
  

Recommended use of the room

Reserve your room for resting, relaxing or making occasional calls, but not as your daily office.

 

8. Socialise Without Breaking Your Rhythm

Social life is a natural and enriching part of working in a coworking space, especially when it forms part of a coliving environment. However, that same richness can become a double-edged sword. If you join every invitation, you may end up emotionally overwhelmed or lose clarity in your work objectives. The challenge is finding a middle ground where you can enjoy the community without abandoning your personal structure. Socialising with intention, rather than by inertia, is what maintains this balance.

How to balance it

• Choose two or three major social activities per week.
• Keep interactions short on the remaining days.
• Learn to say “no” when necessary to protect your energy.
  
  

Useful phrases

• “I need to finish something today; I’ll join tomorrow.”
• “I’m low on energy this week; I’ll join the next one.”
  
  

 

9. Adapt Your Routine to Your Chronotype

Not everyone produces energy at the same rhythm. Some people wake up mentally sharp and ready to work early, while others reach peak performance in the afternoon or even late at night. A coworking space allows you to tailor your schedule to these natural differences. Working with your biology rather than against it greatly enhances your productivity.

If you’re a morning person

• Do your deep-focus tasks in the morning.
• Leave administrative or social tasks for the afternoon.
  
  

If you’re an evening person

• Lighter tasks in the morning.
• Focus block in the afternoon or evening.
  
  

Main idea

Your routine should not imitate others; it should optimise your performance.

 

10. Review and Adjust Your Routine Weekly

In a coworking space, your context changes faster than in a traditional office: new people arrive, others leave, projects evolve, your energy shifts, and priorities are rearranged. Your routine cannot be rigid. Evaluating it weekly allows you to detect patterns, correct habits that don’t work and reinforce those that help you progress. This practice not only improves your productivity but also your wellbeing and your integration into the community.

Key review questions

• What worked well this week?
• What distracted or drained me?
• What will I change next week?
  
  

Common adjustments

• Changing your usual spot within the coworking.
• Modifying the start time of your sacred block.
• Adding or removing social activities based on your energy.