Owning a small business and working for one come with a reputation for being extremely hard work. Whatever type of services they provide, simply operating a small business and keeping a customer base and competing is a consuming endeavor. Business and employees alike work tirelessly, but often passionately, not only for their own living, but for the company. But many of these small businesses benefit in many different ways from coworking.

Many small businesses operate out of coworking spaces. Known for having a penchant for flexibility, those spaces understand the hard work that goes into working for a small business, and want to give members the opportunity to cut away from the daily grind and play a little bit. Many spaces offer table games such as ping pong, foosball, or pool tables, or even video game consoles in the lounge areas.

Areas of the spaces are often designed for members to get away from their desks and decompress for a while, and as members take advantage of this offering, the impact on productivity is positive. Also making the spaces a friendly atmosphere is the mix of different individuals from different companies, giving members the opportunity to make friends with other coworkers who are not colleagues, network with each other, and collaborate on other projects.

When there is a major news story or sporting event, sometimes a coworking space will come to a grinding halt. Members gather in front of the TV, perhaps with a beer in hand, and watch. For example, during the 2014 World Cup, Modworks and other spaces nearly emptied out as members gathered at the local pub to watch Team USA. Since the games were mostly in the afternoon, members could work in the morning, get away to watch the game, and return to work after.

Not only are the spaces themselves built to balance work and leisure, they often organize events for their members such as happy hours, after hours events, and joint parties with other coworking spaces. Members often have friends, do business with, or simply know people at other spaces, so extracurricular events can be great opportunities for new employees or people new to town to meet new people.

Whether it’s during the workday or after hours, inside the space or out, the community of members at a coworking space embrace the idea of working on their own terms so they can enjoy their lives. In the coworking industry, the famous mantra rings true: work hard, play hard.