Coffee Shops & Cafes — The Best Working Environments

Let me say I love, love, love coffee shops. So I really like this great story of how people work in them, what they are working on. and how they are inspired by having people around them: https://medium.com/life-learning/what-are-people-working-on-in-coffee-shops-cdf351e28b6#.ivwix227m

I cannot work at home, and in college could never work in the dorm or library. Far too quiet, so I always preferred the Student Union, and now decades later, a good cafe, bar, or other busy place.

Not that I love to talk to people in a cafe (I do love to talk to people, but that’s another story), as I usually speak to no one but the barista. But having people and noise around helps me focus, a lot. Too quiet and my mind wanders, as if the Internet isn’t distracting enough (it is).

While living in Palo Alto in Silicon Valley, I’m quite sure I’m the record-holder for the longest Starbucks visits, where 5–6 hours was common and 12+ hours not unheard of. And yes, I always buy numerous drinks plus share tables and power (you should, too).

For many years a Starbucks roaming Wifi account liberated me, as there were no fewer than a dozen Starbucks within 2–3 miles of my house, and of course many more anywhere I went in the Bay Area. It was like having 100 offices anywhere and everywhere.

Today I work in a cafe (or bar at night) at least once every day, and even built a 25 person cafe into our new offices here in Shanghai (highly recommended). While of course not for everyone, I find all the best people are in cafes (certainly not just Starbucks or other chains, as local shops are more interesting and you should support them). Offices are overrated, even within the office (I have at least three desks across our floors, but mostly sit in our cafe ;)

So get out, learn to love your local cafes, get your coffee and get to work . . .