Lessons Learned from Working in Coffee Shops

I was sent this via email and will definitely take the information to heart when working remotely

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For the last two years of my life, I have been working from coffee shops almost exclusively in several corners of the world. Here are some of my favorite tips and tricks for working in a public location and getting the most out of your day without a physical office to retreat to!

Always Buy, Always Tip
I thought this one was obvious until I read this review on Yelp so I’m putting it here at the top for good measure! If you’re working out of anywhere other than your home then buying something is a must, luckily modern cafes usually have more drinks and treats than you can shake a stick at. Don’t like paying $3 for a coffee? Think of it like paying for the seat, warmth, atmosphere and electricity instead

Be Like a Boy Scout
And by this I mean always prepared! Make sure to pack your extended charger (you never know how far away that socket will be), pens, moleskin, headphones, cables and anything else you need to do a productive day of work.

Foursquare is Your Friend
If you’re in a new neighborhood or even hunting for new places in a city you know well Foursquare is a great tool. You don’t just have to search for coffee either – try searches for wifi, quiet, comfy, laptops and other keywords to find just the right haunt.

Invest in Great Headphones
A general background noise can actually be great to work in if you’re the right type of person (check out this soundtrack of coffee shop ambience!). But you never know when there might be distracting people, terrible music or other noises – I always make sure to pack a pair of decent sennheiser in ear headphones for just these times.

Befriend the Barrista
It kind of goes without saying if you frequent anywhere on a regular basis but it’s always nice to get to know the people that are serving you, plus they are much less likely to be bothered on that odd day when you overstay your welcome.

Advertise On Your Laptop
If you’re running a business and often find yourself seated in different places then it can really pay to advertise on the back of your laptop. Personally my laptop iscovered in different stickers, but you could do something like my friend Matt Gardner and show off your services for hire! It’s a super effective way of getting noticed and starting conversations.

Have a good day in your coffee shop

From an email by Bernisa Flannery