The nomadic guide for (co-)working from coffee shops
“Coffee with wi-fi” it used to be a thing at Foursquare in the platform’s glory days. It is still a popular phrase. Coffee and wi-fi come together so naturally, don’t they?
But, let’s think about it for a moment. Why would you need a wi-fi while enjoying your flat white?
The coffee shop (or coffee house) — the place where you can buy, drink and, in general, enjoy one of the most common and popular liquids of our times. The coffee shop used to be a social place. A “common space” where you could meet your friends and have a casual chat right next to a breathtaking discussion that went on to change the history of humankind. It used to be the agora where citizens could share the most radical opinions on politics, business, ethics or whatever was crucial for them at the time.
So… you are working “from” not “at” a coffee shop, right?
“Jesus, Mary and Joseph and all of his carpenter friends”(1), why would you be working from a coffee shop? Don’t you have an office or at least a home? I can easily imagine the grandmother asking that question.
For me and my friends in the tech bubble, working from coffee shops comes naturally. No matter which city you are in, the idea is pretty much the same. You pack your laptop and charger into a backpack, grab your wallet and headphones, and go to the nearest wi-fi-promising coffee shop. You then spend a couple of hours there. What are we working on? It depends. Maybe programming (thank Goddess for the cloud), building a business or marketing strategy, having a call with a client, building sales personas, or managing a team in Poland.
Does it work? It works for me. You just need to have a stable internet connection, a place to charge your devices and headphones. Of course, if you are processing some sensitive documents or need to manage a negotiation call, it’s better to find a more private place. But, in other cases, it works just fine.
Is it hard? It’s not hard, but it has its quirks. There are random noises and events. For me it’s a great exercise — it teaches you to stay extremely focused. You learn to not be disrupted by background noise or other people’s actions that are not related to you. It’s very similar to working on your laptop from an airport. You need to concentrate on your task at the moment and at the same time remember to be ready for boarding. You need to sit in a convenient place.
Do you go alone? It depends. If I’m traveling with friends, then most of time they are also working remotely, so all of us have to find a place to work in. At those times, the strong focus on work is interwoven with more or less casual conversations and work-oriented brainstorming. It’s a great way to get external feedback.
Coffee shops as (co-)working spaces
What do you need to know to work remotely from different locations in different cities?
- The wi-fi connection — that’s the very first thing to check. Take a look if you can see other people using their laptops at the place. Ask for the wi-fi password before you order your coffee. Please remember that some coffee shops have time limits.
- Power sockets — you are not the only person who will be looking for them. Make sure that you will be able to get access to one.
- Comfortable seats — you need to decide: are you a desk or a couch person. Then, look around and see if there is a place that you would be comfortable sitting down for the next couple of hours.
- Not too chilly or too hot — do not take a seat next to the front doors (it can get cold in the winter and too hot during the summer)
- Noise Level — background music, dogs, children, other conversation… Anything that might not be easy to drown out with your headphones
- Plan your meals — if you don’t want to eat snacks, notice if the particular coffee shop doesn’t have lunch or dinner options. You need to remember that, at some point, you will need to end the session and grab something to eat somewhere else.
How to find a suitable coffee shop?
Speaking from my experience, Foursquare still works the best in big cities like NYC, SF, Seattle, London, Paris, Berlin, and Warsaw. In other cases, I would suggest using Google maps. Sometimes, if it’s a really small city or village, I just ask at the hotel’s front desk, the Airbnb host, or friends.
How expensive is it?
Usually, it costs 2–3 cups of coffee, no more than $6 per a cup. Assuming that you will work 8h a day, 5 days a week it will come into about $360 per month. Actually it’s pretty similar to a monthly cost of a hot desk in the leading co-working space provider. Considering that co-working from coffee shops will not guarantee you any extra office supplies or services, and is not open 24/7, that’s not the best deal that you can get.
What do I love about working from coffee shops?
I have a great affection for working from coffee shops. For me, it’s a combination of being around other people and not be bothered by other people. Having the chance for random conversations with strangers that, most likely, you will never see again. There are great benefits: a sharp mind and easy focus flowing from feeling both calm (you and your laptop) and excitement (coffee shop crowd) at the same time. I simply love it.
(1) Aisling Bea on Being Fat-Thin | Live At The Apollo https://www.facebook.com/bbctwo/videos/aisling-bea-on-being-fat-thin-live-at-the-apollo/1587771311332031/
