It’s 13:30 and 28-year-old Marten Pella 's smart phone starts pinging, a signal that it’s time for us to stop working around his living room table and instead start our workout routine together. A cartoon character wearing bright red shorts on video begins instructing us to do star-jumps and sit-ups around his apartment.
Pella, a research assistant at Stockholm University, is part of the Hoffice movement, which invites workers-freelancers(自由职业者)or full-time employees who can do their jobs remotely—to work at each other’s homes to increase productivity and enjoy an active social life.
Those attending Hoffice events advertised on Facebook are typically asked to work silently in 45-minute blocks, before taking short breaks together to exercise, or simply chatting over a coffee. In addition, each participant shares daily objectives with the rest of the group upon arrival, and is invited to report back on whether or not they have achieved them at the end of the day.
“Often when I am alone, I can work focused for a couple of hours but then I’m easily distracted(分心).The help of others makes me so much more disciplined.” says Pella, who attends Hoffice events as both a guest and a host. Lunches mean networking and connecting with new contacts. “People are coming from really different areas and have different professions so there can be really interesting discussions,” he says.
The Hoffice movement has grown quickly since it was founded in 2014 by Swedish psychologist Christofer Franzen, now 37. He had been giving lectures on the benefits of collective(集体的)intelligence, but realised he was spending most of his own time working alone at his kitchen table. “I wanted to test more structured home co-working with friends in similar situations,” he says.
Franzen says that holding events in houses and apartments creates a unique atmosphere, because there’s a sense of community and desire to contribute. He’s looking for ways to expand the social value of Hoffice, by matching up members with relevant skills to share and even encouraging jobseekers to join its gatherings.
8. Where is Pella when his smart phone starts pinging?
A.In his own home. | B.In his office. |
C.In another person’s home. | D.At Stockholm University. |
9. What do people attending Hoffice events do first when they meet?
A.Watch an exercise video. | B.Work silently for 45 minutes. |
C.Tell each other their daily plans. | D.Report what they have achieved. |
10. What does Franzen really mean by saying “friends in similar situations”?
A.They usually work alone. |
B.They often give lectures. |
C.They study collective intelligence. |
D.They have to work at a kitchen table. |
11. What is the best title for the text?
A.Sharing Comfortable Workplaces | B.A New Way to Make New Friends |
C.Benefits of Collective Intelligence | D.Working from Others’ Homes |