How To Successfully Work from a Coffee Shop
If there is one thing I’ve come to love more and more over the past couple of years it’s working from a coffee shop. There is just something about the change of scenery, the social energy, enjoying a fresh cup of your favorite coffee, and the opportunity to meet new people that I truly enjoy.
I’ve previously shared tips on how to successfully work from home and thought it would be a fun spin-off and extension, especially in today’s work age, to share tips & tricks from my own experience to help you successfully work from a coffee shop. Having the ability to do so is something I certainly do not take for granted. I feel thankful to have the flexibility these days to work from a coffee shop whenever I feel! It surprisingly is when I feel the most focused and am the most productive, too.
So without further ado, here are my tried and true tips on how to successfully work from a coffee shop. Cheers!
Photo: @modernindenver
#1: FIND THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT
This first tip might seem pretty self-explanatory but it’s certainly the most important when you’re working remotely. Finding the right environment will truly set you up for optimum success. It is key to find a place that you enjoy the vibe of. From the lighting, to the seating, to the people and beyond, you want to feel comfortable in the environment you’re making your mobile office for the day. Tagging off of this, you also want to make sure you love the coffee! I mean, that’s kind of the point. You also want to make sure that the ambiance fits and allows for you to be productive. How is the lighting? Is the music too loud or too crazy to concentrate with? Is the coffee shop too busy? Is the seating comfortable? Are there added “perks” that make it more comfortable and conducive for working?
Lately, my go-to in Denver has been Aviano Coffee. It truly feels like my second home! The baristas are SO incredibly nice and friendly. It’s one of the most beautiful coffee shops I’ve been to; such a modern vibe with beautiful murals in black and white, Edison bulb lights, and ample table or bleacher-style bench seating. The Wi-Fi is free and extremely high speed, and they get bonus points for having tons of outlets by seating. They even have an outdoor patio so on beautiful sunny days, which happen 300+ days a year in Denver, it’s the perfect way to get fresh air and be productive. The coffee is also absolutely outstanding!! They use Intelligentsia Coffee and if you’ve never had it before oh my gosh you are missing out! My go-to drink is a large iced latte with almond milk and on Sunday’s I treat myself to a delicious blueberry-almond muffin.
#2: DON’T TAKE UP MORE SPACE THAN YOU NEED
This next tip is a basic common courtesy. If you are used to working from an office environment or working from home, you may be used to ample space and spreading out with piles of files, folders, a notebook, planner and your laptop/computer. When working from a coffee shop, less is more.
Focus on bringing only the essentials with you in a small bag or backpack. When you’re scouting a spot to work from, don’t take a table for 4+ people just for yourself. Though the extra space to spread out is nice, you’re taking away prime real estate for a group of people or family that may come in together. Grab a small table for 2 or something at the coffee bar.
When I work from a coffee shop, I truly keep things to a minimum. I bring my laptop and the chargers for my laptop and phone - that’s it. On occasion I may bring a small notebook but most times will just write any notes or reminders in an email to myself or in Google Docs/Sheets. I make sure the tasks I’m going to work on while I’m at the coffee shop don’t require all the files, folders and things to avoid cluttering up my space or making a scene. Be courteous; this is a public space not your personal one.
#3: BE FRIENDLY
This tip is sort of an everyday reminder but when working remotely and from a coffee shop, remember to be friendly. Whether it’s the baristas or the people sitting next to or around you, just be friendly! Say hi, say thank you, don’t roll your eyes, don’t stare, don’t be afraid to start up a conversation or ask a question.
I’ve recently struck up a conversation at a coffee shop on different occasions and met some wonderful people! One is a local real estate agent and we chatted for over 30 minutes, all because I asked her what the Wi-Fi password was. A simple question like that turned into a wonderful conversation on work, dating, life in Denver and life in general. The other person I met is a dating coach and we started chatting because she saw me working on posts & graphics, and asked if it was my blog. I complimented her outfit and from there we chatted on and off for the few hours we were there and still keep in touch. Since being in Denver, I’ve found more and more that people are truly so nice and more than willing to chat with you if you just step outside of your comfort zone and strike up a conversation.
#4: USE YOUR INSIDE VOICE
As I’m typing this right now, there is a man and woman at a table diagonal from me and the gentleman is talking so loudly that he’s basically giving a presentation and speech to the entire coffee shop [insert eye roll]. Because you’re probably curious, he’s talking timelines, decision making, working hours and hours a day, and mentioning people’s names who I’m assuming are colleagues, one of which has the same name as me and I awkwardly looked up and directly at him when I heard him say Stepfanie/Stephanie lol yup…totally awkward!
So this is a friendly reminder that you’ve heard since you were in elementary school…use your inside voice. Not everyone wants to hear your conversation or your phone call. Be respectful to the people around you and to the establishment. You’re in a public space, not your own home, so be respectful and talk in a low voice.
Tagging off of this, please please please do not talk on speaker phone. This is such a pet peeve of mine and I’ve seen it happen more times than I’d like to. Either use headphones or step outside, but please do not use speaker phone when you’re in a public place. Also, turn your phone on silent or vibrate so everyone around you doesn’t have to listen to your phone going off. Be sure to use headphones when watching videos or listening to a podcast or music.
#5: TIP YOUR BARISTAS
I feel like tipping in general can be a bit of an uneasy topic of conversation but to me, it’s something that is so important and I always do. Think about it, you are coming to their establishment and taking up space for multiple hours and most likely just getting one coffee. As a way to say “hey, thanks for letting me stay here for hours on end, use your Wi-Fi, make this my office for a bit, and only buy one coffee,” tip your baristas. I typically do a few of dollars depending on what I order. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy but a few dollars goes a long way!
#6: CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF
So you’ve staked out a space, worked for a few hours and now you’re ready to head back to your real office or back home. Again, this might seem like a no-brainer, but clean up after yourself. Throw out any trash, bring any coffee mugs or plates back to the bar, etc. etc. Make the space you just claimed as your office look as pristine as it did when you first arrived. Again, it’s a simple gesture that goes a long way!
So there you have it my friends, 6 simple tips for successfully working from a coffee shop! Do you have any tips for working remotely? If so, share below in the comments!