Working from home surrounded by nature and peaceful surroundings is amazing, but it comes with its challenges. Ever found yourself staring at your computer screen, wondering where your motivation went? Or realized you’ve been “working” for three hours but somehow haven’t accomplished much? We’ve all been there, more than once!

Our weekly virtual coworking “power hours” have become the not-so-secret weapon for our little group of independent creatives and freelancers. These sessions are simple but surprisingly powerful – and they might just be the productivity hack you’ve been looking for.

Curious about how sitting online with other people while we all work in silence could possibly make a difference? Here are seven benefits attendees experiences during these sessions (and no, we’re not making it up – this is real-life magic happening every week).

1. Gentle but structured accountability

When you work for yourself, you’re the only one holding yourself accountable. Freedom? Absolutely. Sometimes a bit too much freedom? Also yes.

During our power hours, we each share what we’re planning to work on before we start. It sounds simple, but there’s something almost magical about declaring your intentions to the group. Suddenly, that task you’ve been putting off for weeks becomes the thing you actually finish in 50 minutes or less.

Simply knowing others are (virtually) present with us completely changes how we approach our work. It’s accountability without the stress: no one’s checking your screen or timing your bathroom breaks, but it’s motivation enough to stay on task.

2. Breaking the Bubble

Working independently can sometimes feel like you’re on your own one-person island. We often find ourselves wondering if we’re the only ones facing certain challenges or if our work processes are “normal.”

The moments of connection before and after focused work time create space for the casual exchanges with fellow online business owners that many of us miss. Someone mentions a client situation that sounds eerily familiar, another person shares a time-saving hack, and suddenly you realize you’re not alone.

These small touchpoints often provide the perspective we need when we’re overthinking business (or personal!) decisions.

3. The power of Getting More Done (while doing less)

Scientific research shows that working alongside others (even virtually) boosts productivity. It’s called the “body doubling” effect, and it’s particularly powerful for those of us who tend to get distracted when working alone.

During power hours, we’ll often tackle tasks we’ve been procrastinating on. The focused 50-minute block seems to create the perfect environment for deep work: tasks that would normally take hours somehow get completed efficiently when we’re in the virtual company of others who are also focused.

Participants are often genuinely surprised by how much they accomplish during these sessions compared to their normal work patterns. It’s not about working harder—it’s about leveraging the psychological benefits of working alongside others.

4. Permission to focus

In a world of constant notifications and “just quick questions,” giving yourself permission to focus deeply on one task can feel almost like an indulgence. The power hour creates a legitimate reason to turn off notifications and set boundaries around your attention.

Many attendees use power hours as their designated time for tasks requiring deep focus. We treat it as if it were an actual meeting: we let family members know we’re unavailable, silence our phones, and close our email and other communication apps. This dedicated focus time often becomes the most productive part of our week.

The structure of the session—with a clear beginning and end—makes it easier to protect this time from the usual interruptions that fragment our workdays.

5. Momentum that carries beyond the session

Fun fact: the productivity boost from power hours doesn’t end when the timer goes off. There’s a certain momentum that builds during focused work that often carries into the rest of the day and week.

After completing a task that we’ve been avoiding, many of us find ourselves naturally tackling other items on our to-do lists with renewed energy. It’s as if breaking through that initial resistance creates a positive ripple effect.

And since power hours are at the beginning of the week (usually on Mondays, but check the calendar for exceptions), it’s great to start the week feeling like you got so much done already, and riding the momentum for a couple more days after that.

6. Professional cross-pollination of ideas

While our sessions focus primarily on individual work, the brief interactions often lead to valuable exchanges of ideas, resources, and solutions.

Someone might mention a tool they use for scheduling, another person shares a template that saves them hours each month, or someone else recommends a resource for a specific challenge. These micro-interactions create ongoing professional development opportunities without requiring additional time commitments.

The diversity of our community—with web developers, designers, copywriters, consultants, and more—creates a rich environment for cross-pollination of ideas that sparks innovation in unexpected ways.

7. Consistent rhythm for business development

Let’s face it—client work usually takes precedence over working on our own businesses. It’s too easy to push those important-but-not-urgent business development tasks to the bottom of the list day after day. Especially when we’re knee-deep in client work, we often don’t want to “waste” work time on anything else!

Some of us specifically reserve power hours for activities we would otherwise postpone: updating our portfolio, refining processes, catching up with emails or admin, creating marketing materials, or mapping out content. Having a designated time each week for these activities ensures they don’t get pushed back forever.

This regular attention to business development creates compound effects over time, leading to more sustainable growth without the feast-or-famine cycles so common in service-based businesses.

8. Built-in breaks to prevent burnout

When you’re passionate about your work, it’s surprisingly easy to forget to take breaks. Many of us have experienced the “look up and it’s somehow dark outside” phenomenon after getting absorbed in a project.

Our power hours actually build in natural work/rest rhythms by design. The 50-minute work block is followed by a short break, modeling the kind of sustainable work pattern that prevents burnout in the long run.

This structured approach to breaks eventually becomes a habit some of us will carry into the regular workday, improving our overall well-being and creative output.

How our virtual coworking sessions work

Our power hours follow a refreshingly simple format:

1. We hop into the coworking room and spend a few minutes catching up and sharing what we’re working on
2. At the top of the hour, we mute our microphones but keep video on while working independently for 50 minutes
3. We come back together for a quick debrief to share progress and celebrate wins (5 minutes)

That’s it! No complicated rules or procedures—just a straightforward structure that somehow works like magic.

Is Virtual Coworking Right for You?

If you value both independence and community, our virtual coworking sessions might be exactly what your workweek needs. They’re particularly helpful if you:

• Find yourself procrastinating on important but not urgent tasks
• Miss having colleagues to bounce ideas off or catch up with around the watercooler
• Want a bit more structure without sacrificing flexibility
• Would love to connect with other creative professionals who understand your unique challenges

The beauty of virtual coworking lies in its simplicity. No special equipment or extensive preparation required—just show up with whatever you’re working on and experience the difference that focused work in a group setting can make.

Everyone’s welcome: whether you’re an experienced agency owner or just starting out as a freelancer, we can all use a bit of connection and accountability once a week.

Ready to give it a try? Join us for an upcoming virtual coworking session and discover firsthand how this simple practice might just transform your workday. We promise it’s the most productive hour you’ll spend all week!