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From Latte to Laptop: Discovering the Perks of Remote Work in a Cafe
Lessons learned exploring and working from local cafes for the last 3 years.
The thrill of finding hidden gems in my neighborhood, the smell of freshly brewed coffee, tasting exotic latte options, finding new songs to add to my playlist, and the random chitter-chatter with strangers — these are some of the many novel experiences during a workday that I have gotten used to since my company went fully remote in 2020.
It’s been close to 3 years now, and still, my favorite part of remote work is working from different cafes throughout the week.
The Trouble with WFH
When my company announced its WFH policy back in 2020, I was ecstatic thinking I wouldn’t have to commute anymore, and how work/play will be right there in front of me all the time.
Being a productivity geek, I started dreaming of all the things I could get done at home in-between work sessions, and how all the commute hours I save could be better spent elsewhere.
Some of these were true. Not all of them, though.
As days passed, I could see a dip in my focus levels. It started becoming more and more difficult to do my most focused work with my bed, TV, and all sorts of distractions literally a few steps away.
The monotony was also setting in.
Working from the same spot every single day was getting tedious. Every day was turning into a blur.
Not having coworkers around me didn’t help either. The lack of socializing was starting to take a toll on me.
Overall, I sensed that it was time for a change within the first three to four months.
That’s when I started exploring nearby cafes and shopping malls now and then.
To my surprise, the benefits I started reaping almost immediately were very unexpected. I loved the experience so much that I have made a habit of this.
Sure, it can get expensive very easily. However, the boost in productivity and focused work that I got out of it made every penny worth it.
