What if the future of work isn’t in glass towers or city coworking chains but in small, rooted hubs where people feel they belong?

In this episode of Powering Productivity, Suzanne is joined by Maria do Céu Bastos, founder of NOWHERE Desk - a rural coworking hub in Portugal that’s become a lifeline for freelancers, founders, and her local community.

 Together, they explore how rural coworking is redefining connection and belonging not just for those who work there, but for the people who nurture these spacesevery day.

✨ In this conversation:

• Turning isolation into opportunity

• Building community far from the city noise

• Why reconnection with nature, with people, and with purpose is the real future of work

• The emotional and economic value of local hubs

🌿 Discover more about Maria’s work and the rural coworking movement:

• NOWHERE Desk

• Creative Hubs Network

• European Coworking Assembly: Rural Coworking

💛 Listen now , this is a story about heart, place, and the quiet revolution happening in rural coworking.

Time stamped Shownotes:

00:00 Introduction to the Powering Productivity Podcast

00:48 Meet Maria do Ceu Bastos: A Journey from Translationto Coworking

02:21 Challenges and Realities of Rural Coworking

07:29 Building Community and Overcoming Isolation

13:18 Navigating Bureaucracy and Renovation Hurdles

16:08 Funding and Financial Challenges

18:18 The Vision for Education and Reskilling

23:34 Navigating Emotional Challenges with AI

24:38 Finding Balance in Nature

25:19 Building Resilience Through Hobbies

26:13 The Importance of Community Support

26:54 Managing the Invisible Load

29:40 The Power of Networks and Collaboration

33:37 Sustainable Living and Upcycling

38:08 Rural Regeneration and Education

46:04 Conclusion and Resources