Work from your local coffee shop — inspired by F.R.I.E.N.D.S.
So no one told you life was gonna be this way? Your job’s a joke, you’re broke… Remember these lines?
F.R.I.E.N.D.S. — probably your favorite TV show. Remember how everyone of them had their own responsibilities but at the end of the day they were all gathering at the Central Perk? Yup. Their local coffee shop. This time you are going to read how can you work from your local coffee shop and what else can you do by working there.
First of all, it feels like your second home. If you go there to work almost everyday, you are going to meet a lot of people that will become your close friends — or maybe your best friends! It is better if you go to work there with your friends, you can sit on a comfortable sofa and solve your problems together.
Do you remember Chandler’s computer?
That’s how it all started. He thought that is best if he works from the coffee shop because all of his friends were drinking their coffee there. Let’s clear some things:
- If you go to work from your coffee shop, be ready — that means to bring your lap top and to check if there is everything that you need. Electric plugs and Wi-Fi is a must!
- Choose a coffee shop where you can work in the daylight, and if there is no daylight choose a place next to a window — it is very important to have natural light because it will keep you focused and will take care of your eyes in a first place.
- Be friendly to the people working in the coffee shop! Do you remember Gunther? The guy with the white hair who was working in Central Perk. Do you remember when Ross was being evil to Gunther and then when Gunther found out about Ross and the other girl, he immediately told Rachel? That’s why you should be nice. They are working there for their salary just like you are, plus they let you stay there. It is nice to have a friends who’s working in a coffee shop, you can spend some time with them.
- Another important thing, LEAVE TIPS! You won’t get any poorer and they won’t get any richer but leave tips. Every work is hard and you will make their day. It shows your manners. And remember — manners maketh men.
*To mention this: you remember when Rachel got no job and she found a job in Central Perk thanks to Gunther? That is why it’s important to stay in touch with the people working there. They will help you anytime.
- Don’t be annoying! Please remember that you are not at your usual office and you are not at your home. You need to remain calm and silent. Do not play music out loud, but play it on your headphones. Do not yell on your mobile phone or on your interview on skype — there are another customers around you, they will think negative of the coffee shop only because of you!
- Use the space smartly. What would you do if you go in a coffee shop and there is no free table, but you see one guy who’s sitting on a table supposed to be for 4 people? You gonna hate him, right? So, don’t be him. If you should have a meeting, then it’s okay to use a bigger table. But if you sit there alone and use a table for 4 it’s not okay. There are people who want to drink their coffee just like you want to finish your work.
→ another important tip when talking about how to use the space: please, do not act like home and don’t try to put your feet on your chair or table — it shows no manners!
- More crowded place, less concentration. You should be very careful when you choose the hours for working. It is better for you if you go in the mornings — the coffee shops are not crowded plus it would be very quiet and you will focus better on your work. If you go in the rush hours, it is very possible that there will be no free table and you gonna lost your time.
- Take into consideration what you drink or eat there — it is very important not to sit there for 3 or 4 hours with just one coffee — you should eat or drink one more coffee or juice. Remember that if it wasn’t for you there sitting for 4 hours, drinking one coffee, there would be 4 random people coming there every one hour.
And if you loved this article and if you still watch Friends everyday, if you ever go to New York and you want to feel how it is like to work in Friends’ atmosphere you should check their coffee shop called Central Perk of course. The address is 199 Lafayette Street at the corner of Broome Street in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood.
