my workspace at Sandbox, with comfy chairs in the background
We've been having problems with our internet connection at home (i hate you, time warner - telling me we "look fine from our end"), and I was tweeting about this frustration yesterday; so, when someone from @sandboxcolumbus came in to work last night, they strongly suggested I spend my day here! After a little over an hour, I am finally getting down to work! (Procrastinating doesn't end when you're in a space conducive to working, turns out). At least I don't have a TV to turn my brain to mush while I'm sitting on the couch procrastinating.
For the uninitiated, Sandbox Columbus is a coworking space in the Short North. What's a coworking space? Well, it's a place to have an office or work in an office-like setting, only with no bosses, vending machines, horrible coffee! There's also a nice white floor and rolly chairs. We could probably even have a rolly-chair race and no one would care. Well, maybe they wouldn't care very much...I'm not going to test that theory.
Anyone who know me knows that I used to work in Corporate Cubicle Hell. It's the main reason I have now turned into a complete slacker waitress. I thought I'd compare my old office to Sandbox.
Old Office: MB, the worst boss EVER (man I hated her; she did eventually get fired, but not soon enough) Sandbox: no boss
Old Office: had to be accessible to people at all times.
Sandbox: wearing headphones and listening to the Ghostface Killah station on Pandora
Old Office: Horrid florescent lighting.
Sandbox: lots of natural light plus track lighting, or softer lighting in the back if you prefer.
Old Office: no windows.
Sandbox: giant garage doors open to the fresh air, even.
Old Office: so cold my teeth would chatter on a regular basis.
Sandbox: slightly cold because the doors are open but comfy with my hoodie on, plus did I mention fresh air?
Old Office: wheel of death for lunch option.
Sandbox: amazing full kitchen with gas stove and stainless appliances. Convection oven. I could make lunch for everyone in that kitchen!
Old Office: PCs with limited internet access.
Sandbox: Macs with HUGE screens.
Old Office: had to listen to boss' nextel beep every minute because she was too stupid to figure out how to answer it or take off the "missed call" beep. (this actually once led to a late-night break in to her office when I was training some third shifters, because I was about to lose my freakin mind).
Sandbox: everyone knows how to use their iPhones (it's all iPhones here-these freelances make more money that find dining waitresses)
Old Office: actually had to work for 8 hours a day.
Sandbox: there's a Wii.
Old Office: lunch options, aside from Wheel of Death: Wendy's, Subway, Arby's
Sandbox: lunch options: the Press, Details, Coney Island, Black Olive, Happy Greek, Rigsby's, Betty's, Surly Girl, the North Market, Nida's, ZenCha, and the list goes on....
Old Office: people who lived in a suburb in which Downtown Columbus was visible, and yet people in this suburb had never been to Downtown Columbus.
Sandbox: um, hello? the coolest people work here!
Old Office: great benefits, although they charged you your soul and creativity to get them.
Sandbox: although no one has offered me a book deal or restaurant, it's still good networking
Old Office: cubicle
Sandbox: huge desk, plus couch and comfy chairs
Old Office: soul sucking meetings
Sandbox: no meetings required! Some meetings include booze!
I don't think I even need to do any scoring to conclude that Sandbox is far better than my Corporate Cubicle hell. I might even be convinced to try to get some freelancing work.
If you would like more information on working from Sandbox, please visit their website! They're cool cats, I promise!
Other pictures:
