Interview with Danielle, an author who found the benefits of coworking

I was in an online grad program at Syracuse University, which allowed me to complete courses and attend live classes virtually, so I was able to stay in warm Atlanta year round.

I was also new to ATL and wanted to meet people, so I searched for remote work and co-working groups on the app Meetup. I found a great group called ATL Ladies Work Remote and have been in love ever since!

I enjoy asking questions and learning from others, so when I joined the group, I asked plenty of questions of people about what they do and how they best co-work. Based on some suggestions, it was easy to try out new ways of trying to get work done.

Most importantly, the women in my group have become friends of mine. We spend time together outside of working hours, and I have been able to see first hand how they balance their routine and how successful they are at it.

Many of them travel and work, which is a goal of mine, so I’m always asking questions and learning more about how they do it!

I am finishing up my first self-published book - a resource journal for high schoolers to use on their college campus tours. It's called "The College Visit Journal: Campus Visits Demystified." I am using my existing MarComm knowledge to write, design, and market the book!

I was inspired to write this book after the Admissions Scandal in March of 2019. I was reading articles that chronicled the lack of resources and guidance among students – mainly students of color and those with lower socioeconomic statuses.

While the college admission process is vast, I wanted to focus on something that was a small – but very important part – of the overall process. Selecting where you will live and grow for the next four years is a big deal, so it should be taken seriously and requires organization and guidance. That's what this journal provides to students.

I’m usually most creative in the AM, but no, there isn’t a typical flow. Once I start my day, I am typically good.

I don’t have issues picking up where I left off, so errands and other appointments are actually a welcome break throughout the day.

No. I have places at home I can be comfortable and get things done, but I prefer to get out of the house.

I go to coffee shops (free wi-fi + drinks), hotel lobbies (free wi-fi + comfy seats), public library (free wi-fi + quiet space and private rooms), my building’s common areas (nice accommodations + free wi-fi) lol.

Occasionally, I do day trials at coworking spaces just to check out how others work.

Creating a to-do list in Trello. It's the ONLY way I can prioritize and stay on task. Also, Spotify! Depending on the task, if I need concentration, I will listen to music, and if I need further concentration, I will listen to the white noise playlists they have. It really helps tune everything out.

If not Spotify, I will take the distraction as a sign that I need to take a break and will take a 15-minute walk or something to clear my head and re-focus.

It can be done from anywhere if you're diligent about your time and priorities.

I love Trello, Slack, and Calendly. They help me tremendously with productivity.

Calendly is such a great hands-off scheduler. It stays in my email signature, so if someone wants to meet or schedule a call, I can direct them to the link so they can schedule it according to a time that works best for them. It’s one less back-and-forth thing that needs to be done.

Trello is used for my overall and book publishing to-do list and also for my social media editorial calendar. The use of labels and add-on calendar functionality enable me to see a high-level view of what I have running and scheduled for each social platform. It’s great to have it all in one place with my to-dos.

Slack keeps me connected. I am plugged into a few different workspaces (5), and they keep me well-informed about people, culture, jobs, and professional skills (+ more). It’s like a virtual networking session 24/7, which is huge when you’re remote or independent of traditional co-workers.

Find accountability partners and groups that will support you and your goals if you're an entrepreneur, outside of a coworking group.

You can have plenty of tribes! Also, set boundaries because work and personal time can easily become blurred.