Thoughts on renting office with no windows, will I go mad?

MrCostington

Hi firstly, not sure where to put this, was a toss up between here and After Hours!

I'm looking to rent an office for a start up so want to keep costs down until the business (hopefully) takes off.

I found one that is cheap and size and commute is OK for me, however it has no windows (hence the price I assume). Well, there is a window but it is internal and facing a corridor with another office the other side. So, no sunlight.

Am I likely to go insane spending 40 hours a week there? I would go for walks at lunchtime. Would be working on a computer.

Thanks :)

HeidiHeidi

I wouldn't.

I'm working in a vaguely similar sort of situation - based in big airy room, but there's one window which because of the layout I have my back turned to. Artificial light on the whole time. I hate it.

I can go out to lovely surroundings occasionally but that's weather-dependent as well (I keep meaning to bring full wet gear and train myself to go out anyway, no matter what)

I do shift work, so I'm not there the whole day - no way could I spend 5 days a week, 9-5, with no natural daylight.

o1s1n

It's a bit weird alright, did something similar years back. Very large open plan office and was sitting somewhere in the middle miles away from the windows.

You can't tell what time of the day it is, can mess with your perception of where you are in the day quite a lot.

herbalplants

Big no for me.

Reminds me when I was in Vietnam, Hanoi especially. A lot of hotels had no actual window or either an internal one, no actual sunlight. It drove me mad.

MrCostington

Hi thanks everyone for the replies. It's as I expected, I'll keep looking then!

Idbatterim

If you have a garden, you could put up or crane in a garden room! Way better than any other option

Tull Considine

Would not like a no windows environment.

Be no no for me.

the_amazing_raisin

At the risk of asking a silly question, wouldn't it be easier to run your business from home?

No cost of rent or utilities to deal with, nor any commute

You can possibly use an umbrella company to act as a PO box if you want a business address

GreeBo

You can get some lights/pictures that appear to be windows and provide "natural" light

Without that or at least some of those "natural" lights I think it would be bad for you

MrCostington

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123109113#Comment_123109113

I'm already doing that and the virtual office thing. I had an office before and really miss the separation of work and home.

MrCostington

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123108932#Comment_123108932

This is why I posted here instead of After Hours :)

Idbatterim

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123109389#Comment_123109389

https://www.donedeal.ie/gardensheds-for-sale/garden-room-portable-cabin-portable-office/36864762

https://www.donedeal.ie/gardensheds-for-sale/garden-room-portable-cabin-portable-office/33944179

no time wasted commuting, no money wasted on rent. Increases your property value… can sell it any time you like…

Purple Mountain

What about a hot desk option?

Deregos.

. . .

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123109384#Comment_123109384

Fair enough, it can be a bit of a struggle when the kids are shouting while you're on a call

Did you try one of those digital hubs, they're scattered all over the country so should be within commute distance? They'd be a way to try an office space without making a commitment

One thought to consider, if you're starting a business then the separation between work and home could get pretty blurry by itself, so having a decent office space at home would be a good idea if possible

herbalplants

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123109769#Comment_123109769

Hot desk seems much better solution.

billyhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123109117#Comment_123109117

Something like the Venetian hotel shopping mall in Vegas.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123109811#Comment_123109811

Price one.

Remember that it's in a shared workspace, so anyone else in the room can hear your calls, and you can hear theirs. There's no lockable door, so you cannot leave anything in place while you pop out for lunch (including your laptop and external external monitor, hot-desks typically DON'T provide them) .

You could live with the disadvantages, if it was cheap enough and privacy doesn't matter (depends on your business). But usually they're not that cheap.

OP, the fact that you're considering it means you're mad already :-)

Or that you know if can be workable: lots of people have totally internal workspaces, and they cope. Yes, there are issues. I wouldn't recommend it for a creative person. But especially for a start-up, it may be worth it for a short term, to see if things get started. And since you're the boss, you can go out for coffee anytime you want.

Idbatterim

https://www.donedeal.ie/gardensheds-for-sale/garden-room-portable-cabin-portable-office/37032336?campaign=8

You can be looking at nature in these... can be used as room for kids later on etc...

Banzai600

there are options out there to share open spaces / hot desks in office buildings around the city, without having to go into an interrogation type room - its very unhealthy to work in. No matter what you do with light / affects its just not the same.

i'll drop you a pm with suggestion.

Flinty997

I did it a couple of times for 3 months and I didn't like it at all.

MrCostington

Hi thanks everyone for your suggestions.

Hot desking or shared open plan is out for me - I have a server and other hardware I need to leave there 24/7.

I'm happy others have confirmed my concern that no sunlight would be a bad idea, I will keep looking for one with a window!

Boardnashea

I worked in a windowless office for a few years, but was within a company, so the door was always open and coworkers passing by, and it was no bother. Wouldn't like to think it ws going to be a very long term thing. But if you're at startup stage, maybe in 6, 9 or 12months you could be looking for a better space?

soverybored1878

I had a bedroom with no windows once. A warehouse conversion in London. I went mad. Not recommended. You spend 8 hours a day in your office on an average working day. You need natural light.

Markcheese

Do-able ,but is it worth it , ?

I assume you'd be in the office all day ?

You can get sunshine mimicking lamps and bulbs , or you can stick a screen up , as a fake window , ( make a simple frame and window sill if you like ? ) , and either link it to a camera showing outside the building, or just a live stream of a place you really like .

But it'd wanna be cheap cheap 😁

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Therapy-Brightness-Portable-Sunlight-Function/dp/B09VC49HF3/ref%3Dasc_df_B09VC49HF3?mcid=c0a184985d8c36eb85706ebfe5c2b049&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=697316259119&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9974184912465617966&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007850&hvtargid=pla-2073787149992&psc=1&gad_source=1

Ray Palmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123109117#Comment_123109117

These actually work really well as the colour rendering is near full natural light. The SAD lights are now the same tech as these just repackaged. My home office has a window but into part of a lane so the light it diffused in a bit of a weird way that I don't like so the blind is very rarely up.

Got a similar light without the image and placed in on the ceiling above my desk and occasional put transparent images on it. It is much better than the natural light especially during the winter and I am often surprised how grim the day actually is when I leave the office. The human mind is very easily tricked by light. I would give it a go myself if you can at least trial it and the price reflects lack of natural light.

Pictures on the walls and other things to look at add to it. There are tons of office spaces where people work miles from windows and people work there no problem. All the people working in shopping centres along customers with no natural light and people don't really noticed. Modern light is cheap and much better.