Jul 28, 2025
It’s 2 AM on a Tuesday, and you’ve finally cracked that project that’s been stuck for weeks. Your brain is firing, ideas flowing faster than you can type them. But where can you actually go to make the most of this momentum? Your cramped apartment? The 24-hour Starbucks with spotty wifi and chairs designed to discourage lingering?
Most coworking spaces will gladly take your $350+ monthly fee, then lock you out at 6 PM like you’re sneaking back into a dorm after curfew.
That’s ridiculous.
Here’s what the coworking industry doesn’t want to admit: the 9-to-5 workday is mostly fiction. Gallup research confirms what anyone paying attention already knows—productive work happens when it happens, not when some schedule demands it.
Remote workers take calls with London teams at 8 AM Pacific. Parents grab focused work time after kids are asleep. Creative professionals hit their flow state well past dinner. Freelancers juggle clients across multiple time zones while everyone assumes they’re “always available.”
Yet coworking spaces still operate like we’re all factory workers punching time clocks. They’ll sell you “flexibility” then make you feel guilty for wanting to work when you actually need to.
When coworking spaces restrict access, you pay twice:
We’ve had dozens of members leave other spaces specifically because of this. One developer was paying $350 monthly for a WeWork he could use maybe 10 hours a week—his client work happened when they’d locked him out. “I was paying for access I couldn’t actually access,” he told us.
Makes no sense.
I’ll be honest. Most coworking spaces avoid real 24/7 access because it requires actual security systems, proper insurance, and trusting members to act like adults. We were being cautious about the logistics.
But our members kept telling us they needed this. Harvard Business Review research shows knowledge workers often peak during off-hours when distractions disappear. When you give people freedom to work when they’re most effective, everyone wins.
We finally listened.
Our founders brought a European perspective: adults should manage their own schedules. In cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdam, flexible work isn’t a perk—it’s how sensible people approach their professional lives.
Work when you’re productive. Take real lunch breaks. Don’t pretend creativity follows a corporate calendar.
The OECD Better Life Index consistently ranks these countries highest for work-life balance because they’ve figured out sustainable productivity comes from working smarter, not performing busyness during set hours.
Every member has an app to open the door. No keys to lose, no security guards to explain yourself to at 11 PM, no guilt about using the space you’re paying for.
Security cameras and alarms keep everything safe while members have complete freedom to work when they need to.
Mission District: When evening fog rolls in and the neighborhood’s creative energy shifts, writers and designers settle in for genuinely productive late sessions.
Temescal Oakland: Early access means coffee from Highwire before commuter chaos. Late access lets you work after dinner at Shakewell without fighting for parking.
Echo Park: Catch sunrise over the reservoir or work late while Silver Lake comes alive—your workspace fits your schedule.
Downtown San Rafael: Start early for sunset farmers market walks, or work late with Marin’s peaceful evening energy.
No mandatory networking events. No pressure to be “on” all the time. Just good work happening when it actually happens, with genuine connections forming naturally when people want them to.
Working in a professional space when it’s nearly empty is genuinely different. No background chatter, no pressure to look busy, no small talk about weekend plans.
Just you, your work, and the kind of focused environment that’s increasingly rare.
During regular hours, GroundFloor has the gentle energy of people doing interesting work. But 24/7 access means you choose your interaction level. Want background buzz? Come during the day. Need solitude? Early mornings and late evenings offer peaceful productivity.
Both are valid. Neither requires explanation.
RentCafe data shows average San Francisco apartments are 700 square feet—not exactly conducive to productive work setups. Having access to proper desks, reliable wifi, and decent lighting whenever you need it isn’t luxury. It’s professional necessity.
Traditional coworking spaces make you adapt to their convenience. GroundFloor lets you design work routines that fit your life.
Work during your energy peaks. Avoid rush hour. Take breaks when you need them. Manage life responsibilities without sacrificing work quality.
American coworking culture loves artificial urgency. “Crush it.” “Hustle harder.” “Always be networking.”
But the world’s most productive cultures have figured out that sustainable success comes from intelligent work, not frantic performance.
Many coworking spaces advertise 24/7 access but deliver something much more limited:
At Groundfloor, we’ve now made it truly 24/7. All members, all amenities, included in your $279 monthly membership. No fine print.
Working at 2 AM or 6 AM? You get:
$279 monthly with no contracts, no hidden fees. Compare to:
Use Groundfloor 20 hours weekly (reasonable with real 24/7 access) and you’re paying $3.20 per hour for professional workspace. Try finding that value in San Francisco, Oakland, LA, or Marin.
Remote Workers with Global Teams
London calls at 8 AM Pacific. Sydney deliverables due at 10 PM. East Coast presentations scheduled around their business hours. Remote work across time zones needs workspace flexibility that traditional coworking can’t provide.
Parents Managing Real Life
School drop-off at 8 AM, pickup at 3 PM, dinner by 6 PM. Traditional work schedules don’t align with parenting reality. Members work focused sessions while managing family logistics without having to justify their schedule.
Creative Professionals Following Flow
Creativity doesn’t keep business hours. Writers chasing midnight inspiration, designers perfecting pre-dawn concepts—good work happens when it happens.
Students and Career Changers
Building skills, working on portfolios, launching side projects while managing other commitments requires workspace that adapts to your schedule, not corporate convenience.
The Social Reality
Does 24/7 access kill community? Actually, no. During regular hours, GroundFloor maintains its signature energy—people doing interesting work together. But knowing you can access the space anytime removes pressure to force interactions or show up when you’re not productive.
Optional Community
This fits GroundFloor’s philosophy perfectly: work around good people when you want to, find solitude when you need it. Our events happen during social hours, but your work happens when you’re most effective.
New members often start with traditional hours, then discover their optimal work patterns. Maybe you’re sharper at 7 AM than 10 AM. Maybe creative work flows better after dinner when the world quiets down.
24/7 access lets you experiment and optimize.
McKinsey research shows 87% of workers offered flexible arrangements take them. Flexible scheduling is the top desired benefit. As remote work becomes permanent, demand for truly flexible workspace will only grow.
Spaces restricting access to traditional hours serve yesterday’s workforce, not today’s reality.
Other coworking spaces talk about “flexibility” and “work-life balance.” GroundFloor delivers it. No contracts, no hidden fees, no restricted hours, no corporate jargon about “crushing it.”
Just professional workspace when you need it, at a fair price, with people who understand that good work doesn’t happen on command.
True 24/7 coworking access is rare because it requires genuine commitment to member flexibility over operational convenience. We’ve realized that trust and freedom create better work environments than restrictions and policies.
Whether you’re an early bird, night owl, or somewhere between, this change has transformed how our members use the space without the performance pressure.
Try genuine 24/7 access: Visit our locations in San Francisco’s Mission District, Oakland’s Temescal, Echo Park LA, or Downtown San Rafael.
Book a tour and see why GroundFloor members never choose between their natural work rhythms and professional productivity.
Ready to work when you’re actually productive? Learn more about our membership options and join people who get how modern professionals actually work.