GREENSBORO, N.C. — The idea of working from home sounded great at first! Remember how excited you were to sleep in later and spend your workdays wearing your sweatpants or PJs? Now that your work-from-home life has extended into the second year of the pandemic, the concept behind logging on and living in the same space may not be as appealing.
Greensboro entrepreneur Sheena White was in the same situation. Her full-time job transitioned from the company's downtown office to her home office in March 2020. Since then, White, like many others were challenged to find a balance between working at home and living at home.
"I was working and living in the same space so on my lunch break I'm doing laundry, I'm doing the dishes, I'm cooking dinner, I'm doing all the things. Then sometimes in the evening, I'll just jump on and work for a few hours and you don't get separation. You get burned out really quickly even in your own home," White said.
The frustrations she encountered working from home motivated White to start a new business. Fiber Space on Elm Street in downtown Greensboro offers entrepreneurs, professionals, and freelancers a place to work in a productive environment that's also away from home.
"We offer a space away from home. You can work here, meet up with your friends, but be in a creative space with the ability to network in person with other people," White said. We want to still give you the comfort of home but provide more separation so you can work, meet up with your friends and have a life outside of work," White said.
Fiber Space is located in the heart of downtown Greensboro, steps away from the International Civil Rights Center and Museum, retail shops, and top-notch spas and restaurants.
"You can book a space or a room and run across the street for lunch because you have time to do that without having to get in your car and drive somewhere. It's only a few steps across the street," White said.
Fiber Space is perfect for anyone working from home who wants a change in scenery, especially young professionals and students who enjoy connecting with others but have felt isolated during the pandemic. It's also great for people who indulged in other distractions.
"When you're working away from home, you don't have the temptation of constantly eating all day. That was something that I struggled with. I wanted to eat cookies, coffee cakes, and pastries. A lot of us are coming off the quarantine 15," White said.
During a time when businesses are closing or struggling to stay open, it's encouraging to see growth in the downtown area.