From Desk to Café: How to Stay Productive When Changing Work Locations
Location switching can bring benefits in terms of motivation and put you into a new mindset. However, it can also have its drawbacks, such as wasted time and task switching. So, how do you manage the transition between locations?
In this article, we will explore how to manage working between both locations. We are talking about working occasionally from a coffee shop and transitioning from working at home.
Coffee Shop Working Hits Different
Working from an office is different from working from home, which is different from working from a coffee shop. These are all different environments, with both subtle and not-so-subtle differences.
Working from a coffee shop is a very different experience for the following reasons:
- It is a public space.
- It requires the constant consumption of caffeinated drinks.
- There are other people around you at leisure and work.
- The range of work is restricted.
- It requires travel to get to the coffee shop.
All of these differences mean that working in a coffee shop is not the same as working at home. Switching between the two requires an effective way to manage the transition.
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Home to Coffee Shop – Best Practices
Making the move in a single day between working from home and working from a coffee shop requires some best practices. These are my best practices:
- Set a Specific Time
- Have a Set Coffee Shop to Work From
- Pack Lightly
- Plan Your Work
- Have a Finishing Time
Set a Specific Time
Working on a whim and chance will only make any move from working from home on a given day unproductive. The reason is that it means you are always second-guessing and reassessing the decision to go to the coffee shop.
Deciding in advance when you'll work from a coffee shop has several benefits. It removes the need for a last-minute decision, allows you to prepare your work, and lets you plan your travel time.
Pro-Tip: Split the week into 5 mornings and 5-afternoon slots and allocate a number of these as coffee shop time, logging it in the calendar.
Have a Set Coffee Shop to Work From
This is a must. Again, you are looking to reduce the mental load that comes from working in a coffee shop. Having a specific coffee shop in mind (and a backup) means that when it’s time to move between locations, you can pick up your things and head out without much thought.
Pro-Tip: Use your lunchtime to move between home working and the coffee shop. This works best if you can walk between the locations, giving you both some fresh air and a boost to your health.
Pack Lightly
Packing lightly reduces the mental load, speeds up your transition, and makes it easier to set up and leave quickly. Knowing what you need to pack each time also speeds up the transition between locations.
Pro-Tip: Only take the bare minimum you need to work. For me, that includes not taking a charger, as it is extra weight and the pressure of a dying battery adds some extra urgency.
You might find this article I wrote helpful for planning what to pack.
Plan Your Work
Have a clear plan for your work ahead of schedule. I feel like this is one of those easily overlooked bits of advice that often go unsaid. However, if you are going to work from a coffee shop, have a clear idea of what you are going to do.
For example, plan to reply to emails, draft a blog post, or complete a reading task.
Pro-Tip: Have your first task planned out so that you can get started straight away. Ensure that the task is something quick and easy to do.
This gives you a double win: you start working immediately and enjoy a feeling of accomplishment from finishing a task quickly.
Have a Finishing Time
Always have a time when you are going to clock off from work. This is general life advice, but it’s particularly important when working in a coffee shop. Having a hard and fast end time for your session speeds up the mental shift that comes with changing locations, and gives you a clear deadline to work towards.
Pro-Tip: Set a countdown timer in a browser tab (you can try one like this) and keep it just in eyesight. This keeps you focused and working towards your goals.
Final Thoughts
Switching between home and a coffee shop during the day requires a little preparation. By planning, you can make the transition smooth and enjoy a productive, refreshing work session in both locations.
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