An intro to Groove
We can all agree that the major shift to remote work and work from home has brought many significant (and positive!) changes to the possibilities of what work can look and feel like. But throughout this transformation, we’re also learning what doesn’t feel so good about being able to work anywhere, anytime.
What’s the problem?
Social isolation
Last year, Groove’s co-founder Sruli and I were both freelancing and started feeling isolated in our work. We had both worked in coffee shops or coworking spaces in the past with people around us, and it felt really lonely to work by ourselves. I didn’t have a space for work — both physical (e.g. an office) and temporal space (i.e. this is when I work and this is when I don’t). I was missing those spaces that support feeling me effective in my work.
As humans, we need supportive communities on an individual and the collective level. On the individual level, people are feeling isolated and lonely and not sure where to go for support or find belonging in their work. It can be even worse at the collective level. If you are part of an organization and you don’t feel supported or part of your team, you either suffer terribly or leave.
We all need a sense of belonging in our work, whether we’re freelancing or a part of a team within an organization.
We’re functioning, not thriving
There are a lot of existing solutions that help remote work: great collaborative working platforms; functional project management like Jira or Trello; Slack is good for messaging. These are all great functional solutions.
We have a lot of products in our lives — they’re functional, but is the experience enjoyable? Some products create a lot of noise but not a lot of space for great work or feeling great about your work.
Don’t know how to have meaningful synchronous communication
With the move to remote work, there’s also a move to asynchronous work. This is important, because it allows us to create relationships with others in different places and time zones. I can respond when it’s right for me; there’s no need for our time zones to align.
Asynchronous communication is great, but we’ve lost the real sacredness and intimacy to well-timed synchronous connection. We’ve all experienced Zoom fatigue, so this is about finding the right proportion of synchronous and asynchronous communication to best open up focus and creativity. There’s a power of human connection and collective transformation — I don’t just work on my own, I work with other people. We can create more by creating together.
We’re working all the time
The 9 to 5 is dying. People are working in much more fluid ways, from anywhere and at any time of day. There’s a flexibility and power in this, but it can also lead to overwork and an unruliness that prevents us from signing off. The conventional structures and spaces where we used to work are changing.
I may work better at 9 am, or at 3 am. I want this fluidity, but I also crave a structure that supports me in getting my work done, so I can enjoy the other parts of my life.
Enter: Groove
Picture a great yoga class. You want a great hour of a spiritual and physically energizing practice. You chat with a few other people at the beginning and end of class, but during class, you’re focused on your mat. While I’m focused on what I alone want to achieve in that class, the quality of my practice improves by doing yoga next to others, even though we’re not actively helping each other.
A Groove is very much like that. It’s a place to hang out and get your work done — an online coworking platform where you:
- Join or start a Groove
- Set a clear goal
- Hop on a video chat with a few others
- Jump into work mode for 50 minutes of deep work (without video or sound)
- Connect on a short video catch-up at the end
Just like the yoga class, during a Groove, the quality of my work increases by working with others, even though we’re not working together or communicating.
It feels like being in your favorite coffee shop, getting into flow and banging out high-quality work.
“Simply, it’s just better than working alone”- David B
We’re here to help you create the structure, focus and community that support you living life on your terms.
Who is Team Groove?
Team Groove are people living the Groove life every day. Sruli and I are lucky to be working with a group of creatives around the world who care about community, living well, creating and achieving impact, and implementing a healthy work life.
Meet the team here
So, ready to Groove?
Groove is currently being trialed by a small group of people helping us refine the core experience. We’ll be expanding the beta group, so if you’d like to try a new way to socially work when working alone, send us a message to join our pilot.
At Groove, we’re on a mission to help you accomplish remarkable things, whether you’re trailblazing the next movement, starting a new gig or following your passion.
See you in the Groove! 🏂
Josh