We live in the age of being portable. We can fit a computer in the palm of our hand and set up our office almost anywhere that has Internet access. More Millennials are choosing to go into freelance and work from home, but that doesn’t always mean they are staying home to work.
Many Millennials choose to go to a local coffee shop to work, transforming the space into an open office with access to food and coffee. However, not all coffee shops are ideal for a makeshift work space.
We’ve come up with the most important qualities your coffee shop workplace should have for you to be your most productive and motivated.
Wifi
This is essential. You need a strong wireless connection in order to be the most productive. Waiting for a webpage to load or downloading a file, you’re more likely to get distracted and lose motivation.
Free wifi is the best wifi. Why go somewhere to pay for Internet access when you, most likely, pay a monthly bill for it at home? Think about it, you’re already paying for coffee while you’re there, do you really want to pay for wifi too?
Outlets
If you’re setting up shop for multiple hours, you want to make sure your place of choice has plenty of outlets. A coffee shop with outlets at each table would be ideal, but sometimes hard to come by.
You don’t want to be in the middle of a great idea and have your computer shut down! If your favorite coffee shop doesn’t offer an outlet at every table, bring an extension cord if it doesn’t get in the way of others.
Quality Coffee
If you’re going to be drinking coffee all day, it might as well be good coffee! Find a coffee shop that has discounted (or even free!) refills to keep some money in your pocket. Sometimes coffee shops offer loyalty programs to earn a free drink as well!
Variety is key when it comes to coffee. Find a coffee shop that serves espresso drinks, tea, and other beverages. It’s also a plus if they offer free water! All that coffee is sure to dehydrate you.
Atmosphere
One of the most important qualities a coffee shop workplace should have is a productive atmosphere. Find a place that caters towards working individuals. Avoid going to a Starbucks, where most people go to catch up with a friend over a Frappuccino. You want to go where other people are plugged into their computers and working silently. It’s much less distracting and motivating when others are working around you.
A coffee shop that has minimal decorations is the best kind of space to work in. This will also cut down on your distractions and will make you feel organized. When you sit in a cluttered space, it’s easy to feel unorganized and cluttered.
Comfortable Chairs
You want to be comfortable when you go to a coffee shop for the day. If you are too busy focusing on switching positions every few minutes to get comfortable, it distracts you from your work. Find a coffee shop that has comfortable chairs, tables that are the right height for you, and have enough space between the tables. You don’t want to feel crammed in with other freelancers.
When you find a coffee shop with excellent wifi, plenty of outlets, a productive atmosphere, somewhere you can get comfortable for a few hours, some quality coffee and a plentiful menu, consider yourself lucky! These qualities can be hard to find all in one place, luckily Philadelphia is bountiful with coffee shops that fit this description.
Square One Coffee is a great place to set up, especially with multiple locations in the city.
Corner Bakery Cafe is another coffee shop that fits our standards (and has some delicious comfort food!) located in both Center City and West Philly.
Looking to set yourself up in Philadelphia and surround yourself with coffee shops to build your freelance business? Then talk to Philly’s own Agent Lady about buying or selling a home in the city! Sign up for her newsletter for more information about living in this wonderful city!
About Agent Lady: Cherise Wynne is a leading real estate agent in Philadelphia, helping home buyers and sellers navigate the City of Brotherly Love, with a special focus on first time home buyers. To chat about getting started with your first time home buying experience, click here.
