In praise of virtual workspaces

The COVID-19 pandemic has made many changes to our lives. One unexpected one (to me, anyway) is the rise of virtual workspaces or productivity sessions.

Simply put, this is the idea of using Zoom (or any other video conferencing facility) to link people together while working, a kind of virtual co-working space. There is some evidence that many people are more productive when working in the company of others, even if they are working on something completely unrelated, and even if they don't know each other. Some people crave the company - any company - at a time when they are starved of it and mental health is precarious. Some just like a structure imposed on their day in order to increase their productivity.

These productivity sessions may run all day, with programmed breaks, or just for an hour, depending on people's requirements. Sometimes they don't even require the video window to be kept open. They may (or may not) require a pledge of no phones or other distractions. They may give encouragement and exhortations from time to time, particularly towards the end of a session, and they often require a summary of work accomplished at the end of the session to increase accountability.

There are several companies and services established to supply this need for structure, including CaveDay, UltraWorking, Flow, FocusMate and similar names. Some are more intense, others are more laid back. There is something for everyone if you look for it. 

I'm not sure it would work for me, even if I were still working, but then I've always been a bit of an introvert and misanthrope. My daughter, though, who is doing a Masters degree at UoT, swears by it, especially when she has particular deadlines and needs to be held to account. Her university has a system in place for it, as presumably do most other universities.

It will be interesting to see if this is an idea with legs, one that will persists after the pandemic fades (if it ever does).