As digital nomads, we often rely on internet to get our work done regardless of where we go. Sometimes, we spend a great deal of time, in our hostels/hotels, restaurants with wifi and coffee shops.
Coffee shops would probably be one of the most popular place among digital nomads and other internet workers as they’re often more quiet, affordable, comfortable and provides fast wifi in comparison to restaurants.
Here are some tip on how you can stay productive while working from coffee shops anywhere in the world.
1. Prepare Your Stuff Before You Go
Write down what you want to accomplish before you go to the coffee shop of your choice. If you’re thinking of editing pictures, then make sure to bring your portable harddrive where you usually save your pics. Bring your laptop charger, smartphone, notebook and pen and your travel adapter to make sure that your plug fits their socket. Travel adapters are very helpful especially when you go to different countries every now and then. If you are looking to upgrade your gear, view my tips for saving money on laptops and electricals.
2. Choose a Quiet Spot Away from the Window (Near an Electrical Outlet)
Once you arrive in your preferred coffee shop, choose a spot in a quiet corner away from the window and preferably near an electrical outlet. Staying near the window is quite distracting as you’ll see people passing by every now and then. It’ll be more conducive to stay in a quieter spot so you could focus on what you’re doing. Usually, seats near electrical outlets are occupied first so you could wait until they vacate their seats by sitting near your target area so you could move easily and fast as soon as they leave.
3. Be Power and Wifi Efficient
Not all coffee shops offer free wifi. Some are offering paid internet services. To maximize wifi and your laptop’s power, turn off wifi when your current task does not need to use internet. Just turn it on when you need to use internet. It’ll save you money as you wouldn’t pay for the internet service that you don’t use. This will also help prolong the battery of your laptop especially if there’re no power outlets available in the shop.
4. Avoid Going to Coffee shops After Office Hours
Coffee shops became a favourite hangout among office workers to relax and hang out with friends and co-workers. And a lot of coffee shops in Souheast Asia are brimming with people after office hours. So if you want to stay productive and if you want to avoid getting eaily distracted by loads of people, go during off peak hours such as before lunchtime (9AM-11AM) and after lunch (1PM-4PM).
5. Protect Your Stuff
There are lots of ways to protect your gadgets and tech. For starters, bring a spill-proof mug. You’ll not just help save the environment by not using disposable cups but you’l also help avoid a potential coffee spill on your laptop and other gadgets. A friend of mine just spilled her coffee on her smartphone last week and spent a few thousands pesos (more than $50) having her phone fixed. Luckily, she was able to switched it off immediately after it got spilled thus avoiding a potential short circuitry. Use a spill-proof mug and make sure that it’s properly sealed before you put it down near your laptop.
Also, view my tips for using public wifi, make sure to turn on your anti-virus software and firewall to avoid the possibility of acquiring malwares and viruses. If you want another layer of protection, then you could install a VPN software.
Do you frequently work in coffee shops? Feel free to share your tips and recommendations on how to stay productive while working in coffee shops.
