Sarah's Note: More effective, more innovative, more thoughtful, more brave 

People have been talking a lot about clean slates this New Year's.

But here's the thing about New Year's: it's not new. January 1st is no different than December 31st, or at least it's no more new than each hour and each day is. The only thing that changes (or has the potential to change) is you - your behaviors, your attitudes, your intentions. 

Opportunities to start fresh don't come just once a year - each day, each hour is a chance to take action, to be more effective, more innovative, more thoughtful, more brave. 

The slate is as clean as it's ever going to be. How are you going to fill it?

Sarah

Coworking allows individuals to work independently in a shared environment, bringing community to home-workers who may feel isolated and facilitating the exchange of ideas and information with more flexibility than a typical office. The coworking movement is growing in popularity, and has "roughly doubled in size each year since 2006," according to Deskmag.

A recent Global Coworking Survey of over 1500 coworkers in 52 countries revealed many positive effects of coworking. As well as the benefits that might come to mind at first - "92% [of respondents] said their social circle had increased a lot, 80% said their business network had grown, and 75% reported an increase in productivity. 86% said their isolation had decreased" - the survey showed some less obvious, pleasantly surprising findings. For example, satisfaction is high among coworkers: the average rating of workspaces, on a scale of 1 to 10, was an 8.4, and over 2/3 of those surveyed had no plans to leave their spaces. In addition, the report found that coworking can actually make you feel better! 66% of American coworkers said their overall health had improved since they began coworking, likely due to decreased stress from commute time and friction with colleagues. Nearly 90% of all respondents report that their self-confidence has gone up as well.

The shared environment also creates opportunities to surround yourself with dynamic, interesting coworkers and experience a flow of ideas and advice from those who share your space. Eli Malinsky, director of programs and partnerships for Toronto's Centre for Social Innovation, describes typical coworkers as "people who are pursuing their passions...passionate, entrepreneurial, active." 

The Inc. at The Purple Crayon offers flexible monthly Hot Desk memberships with options that fit all different needs. If this sounds like a great solution for you or someone you know, contact us to learn more.

Shel Riser, the man behind SonnyBoy, wears many hats in the music industry. Growing up, he was exposed to jazz and gospel sounds and learned to play several instruments. After becoming a fixture on the Minneapolis music scene with a reputation as an outstanding musician, Riser expanded into songwriting, composing and producing, and started his own record label. When he formed the four-piece group SonnyBoy, Riser put his experience in many genres and different facets of the music business to work. The band's multi-layered sound draws on funk, soul, pop, and R&B influences, among others, and truly showcases his diverse musical upbringing. Concertgoers will get to experience their mission in action: "All I want to do is make good music. If I can get your head nodding and coming back for more, then I've done my job."

Opening for SonnyBoy will be Steamship Authority, a local band from Bronxville playing blues- and folk-inspired music. Steamship Authority have performed at New York City venues such as Sullivan Hall and Connolly's Klub 45, and now the young, talented group will play a little closer to home.