Working from home can be lonely. Working from a coworking space can become costly. Working from the office feels like something you’re forced to do. With hybrid working models in place, an increase in remote workers and a work-from-anywhere-approach, there are numerous alternatives and working from coffee shops has become more popular than it ever was before. Why do laptop workers like it so much? Here are the benefits of working from a café.
Change of scenery
Most professionals struggle staying focused for 8 hours per day in the same spot. Plus, sitting in the same chair for long hours, can lead to terrible back aches. Working from a coffee shop is the solution: A simple change of location can spark creativity and switches the brain back on. At the same time, you move your body to get to the café and you will certainly not sit in the same chair that you have at home or in the office. It’s a double win.
How does it compare?
You could get a change of scenery when working from home by moving from your desk to the sofa, in the office or a coworking space you can get away from your desk and work from a breakout area. However, you are more likely to spend the whole day in the same spot.
Photo by Othership
Inspiration
A change of environment stimulates the mind and can have impressive impact on your productivity. Depending on what you are working on, you could choose a coffee shop that is a bit quieter, or you can choose a spot where you can feel the hustle. A coffee shop can also bring stunning views over parks, waterways or other landscapes that spark creativity. If you choose a seat by the window overlooking a busy street, watching pedestrians is equally stimulating.
Location independent
This choice of spot also means that you are completely location independent. Not only the type of work you do is a factor. You could also decide the location of a coffee shop to work from according to other activities. This could be a sports class in a nearby gym, the nursery where you pick up your child later that afternoon, a client meeting or simply a place that is close to your home.
How does it compare?
You might get inspiration in a coworking space, an office or at home depending on the exact setup, but it will never be as varied as a city filled with coffee shops. Location independence is nearly impossible unless you have more than one home and access to multiple coworking spaces and offices in multiple locations. This is probably the most exclusive benefit of working from a café.
Great coffee
Some offices and coworking spaces have it, yet you can’t do much about it, if the coffee simply isn’t good. At home you could, but that is additional work. How about you get a great barista coffee prepared for you with the best beans? Another benefit of coffee shop working! We wouldn’t even dare to compare this to other workspaces.
Socialising
When working from a coffee shop, you are automatically surrounded by people. Nobody forces you to be social, but you can if you want to. If you become part of the Othership community, you can easily connect with other members and meet in the same café, get lunch together or a beer at the end of the day. Of course, you could do the same in a coworking space or with your colleagues in the office, however probably not when working from home.
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash
Why you shouldn’t care about the cons of working from a café
We’ve emphasized the pros of working from a café and we cannot hide the fact that there might be a few cons. We wouldn’t really call them that. We’d rather address them as concerns and convince you that there does not have to be a downside.
Coffee shops could be loud, they could be lacking Wi-Fi and power plugs – not with Othership! Every café we recommend working from has been carefully selected and tested. You have a power plug and Wi-Fi guaranteed. If the space is playing loud music, we tell you in the workspace description and you can decide whether it is for you or not. Some people like to work to music.
Another important factor might be the cost and how to get an affordable lunch. We also have a solution for that. We negotiate for Othership members special offers and discounts. There are plenty of workspaces that offer a free coffee or up to 50% discount.
Some find it stimulating, others see it as a distraction: Coffee shops can be very lively and there is nothing we can do about it. If we’re entirely honest though, somebody who is easily distracted, will find distraction wherever they work from, right? It shouldn’t be a reason to avoid cafes to work from and you can find quieter ones too.
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