Everyone has difficulty concentrated at home. A lot of people vouch for home offices, but they can often be lonely and isolating. Don’t get me wrong, some people may prefer that environment, but I am not one of them. As much as I love what I do, I find it necessary to create a clear divide between work and home to keep a balance. As a solution, I started doing a lot of work from cafes.
There are so many benefits to working from cafes than renting office space and working from home, and perhaps by the end of this article I can convince you to give it a go.
It’s Cheaper Than Office Space
The obvious benefits of cafes is pricing. There’s no monthly fee, and there’s no charge to use the Internet. It’s a massive win! Yes, most places will require you to buy a drink to sit in, but you were going to have a coffee anyway, weren’t you? Paying £3 for a small desk, power, and Internet is not a bad deal.
The majority of cafes will also have some sort of loyalty scheme, and we all know what that means: free caffeine.
It Separates Work from Home
A lot of people who work from home can often be distracted by other menial household chores or responsibilities. Also, moving from bed mode to work mode without leaving the building can be difficult. By using a cafe, you are subconsciously (and literally) shutting the door on home life, and moving into work mode. Although it’s not quite the same as an office, and is very public, it can be great for those who work traditionally or aren’t very much phone based. People don’t take too kindly to constant phone calls in coffee shops.
You Discover New Places
This, and the following point, is the most important one. Working in a creative field, I am often fuelled by novelty and inspiration. By proactively choosing new locations to work from, and becoming absorbed in novel environments and situations, I help keep my creativity. I discover new buildings, interesting takes on the traditional coffee shop, and can also intrinsically reflect on how I react to these new surroundings.
You Meet New People
Cafes have a constant flow of people, and often when they are busy people share tables. If you’re working a way and need a quick break, just joining someone for a chat can be a refreshing experience. It also helps to see the world from a different perspective, and you may even be able to run a few ideas by them.
Cafe Bustle can Improve Productivity
Have you heard the study about how the noise of a coffee shop can improve your productivity? A study published in 2012 (http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/665048#mobileBookmark) found that medium to low level ambient noise can improve abstract thinking and promote creativity. From this, websites like coffitivity were born, offering soundtracks recorded in coffee shops. But why settle? Go find a coffee shop.
Great for Meetings
Whether you are meeting a client or having a team meeting, many cafes will have large tables dedicated to bugger groups that can work great for meetings. I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re discussing some top secret project, but they are a nice change from an office vibe and can often promote better discussions. Corporate boardrooms can make people nervous and will inhibit their creativity, and can assert an image as manager. Coffee shops represent collaboration and equality, and just have a calmer overall feel.
That’s just the beginning. Everyone has to find the right environment for them and if you haven’t tried it I highly recommend you give it a go. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this, and if you do the same. If you want some great cafes to try this out at, here are some of my favourites:
Timberyard
A very relaxed vibe, and no need to register for the WiFi. They also offer a variety of coffees, teas, and harder stuff too as you draw the working day to a close. Downstairs also features meeting space and desks.
TAP Coffee
TAP actively promote the use of their cafes for working. They’ve got benches to work at, and big group tables. Originally TAP is all about the brewing process, so you’re destined to find a coffee you love, too.
Starbucks
The obvious choice, but Starbucks is good for those with more of a sweet tooth, or looking to stay within their comfort zone. It’s a safe choice, and it works.
Workshop Coffee Co.
This cafe is a lovely little place where they actually also offer master classes and coffee subscriptions. There’s one just off Oxford Street if you love being central.