Welcome to Hoffice in Toronto! The inaugural one in the City's East End : For you and your friends Shay Steinberg!

Opening at 8:30am with arrival, finding a work space, starting to work if you like and a short meditation. The first check-in will be at 8:45 where we set the goals of the day and for the first 45 minutes. Let's aim to get settled 8:30-8:45. I assume first round 9:00-9:45 could involve some incoming traffic and whispers will help. Generally aim comings and goings for 0:45-0:00 of each hour. Envision what 6 chunks of work you might do in each 45 minute span and how you'd like to spend the breaks. Bring what you need, come as you are. Shoe-free space.

BYOB: coffee/tea, lunch and snacks, you are welcome to use the kitchen for preparation. Please bring what you'll need to work in silence for 45 minutes at a time ie. headphones, laptops, computer cord, phone charger, etc.

This Hoffice is good for some 12 persons. It is a beautiful eagle's nest in the sky overlooking the Don River, Lake Ontario and the complexity of commuters whizzing by...yet such a calm inviting warm artist's loft space...very minimalist which is very conducive to creating and working in silence.

Please only sign up if you are really coming and let us know if you change your mind so that everyone who wants to come can come

Feel welcome to join in anytime, and if you come in the middle of a working time slot, just join in silently and you will be welcomed in the upcoming break.

There is wifi internet available.

"Everyone in the group works in 45-minute shifts, based on research suggesting people can't concentrate for more than 40 minutes at a time. When the shift ends, an alarm clock buzzes, and the group takes a short break to exercise or meditate. Before starting again, everyone explains what they hope to get done, to add a little social pressure to actually accomplish something." http://www.fastcoexist.com/3041322/hoffice-turns-your-apartment-into-a-free-and-incredibly-productive-coworking-space?utmsourcefacebook

For offshoot events, some considerations that came up after Tanya Pillay's first Hoffice on Thursday February 5:

-consider including a longer break in the middle of the schedule for a proper meal break. then breaks after each round could be more about stretching and self care than socializing and rushed eating

-we were sad to have not taken any pictures

-we ended with an impromptu clothing swap!

-we were so very moved by the impact of this concept that we wished to be part of a bigger movement with an app or website or fb group to share the joy and momentum and learnings

-some of us appreciated that there wasn't a lot of emphasis on hosting/food/entertainment angle. we enjoyed sharing simple snacks and keeping tea mugs full.

-6 rounds felt great for most but not more.

-many wished to start sooner

-my bajillion power bars and extension cords came in handy!

-we displaced the full welcoming and setting up of newcomers until the next break

-it was handy to have someone dedicated to watching the time

-3 people is a nice minimum number to help avoid the temptation to fall into social chatter

-completing the intended tasks wasn't as important as achieving something useful

-most of us agreed we achieved more in this one short work day than we'd accomplished in an entire week!

i'm sure there's more but this is fresh off the brain for y'all to run with it. Tanya Pillay is hosting again today, Friday Feb 13 from 1:30pm to 6:00pm and on Thursday February 19 from 12:30pm to 7:00pm. 'til then anyone can do this anywhere with whomever is around. I highly deeply strongly recommend!!!

My deepest gratitude to Tanya Pillay for hosting her the first Hoffice in Toronto on Thursday February 5, 2015. Her ideas and wording here along with Kerry Helston and others. And Andreas Wolf as well as Co-Founder of Hoffice.nu, Christofer Gradin Franzen