Freelance: Do you work at a coffee shop or at home?

This popped up on my Twitter account recently:

Her fave #Toronto coffee shop is @AromaEspresso. Today’s #TorontoPeople Daily profiled local: http://t.co/KWEHdkoxMq pic.twitter.com/2oIFCqESQ7

— Streets.TO (@StreetsTO) April 30, 2014

Which let to the conversation:

@aromaespresso @StreetsTO @cosmopolisTO I make no apologies for the Starbucks Cup. I do like you guys for working though. 😀

— Renee S-Williams (@reneeswilliams) April 30, 2014

 

Which made me think – when I do freelance work in coffee shops, Aroma is my preference. It’s big, has plenty of tables to set up your laptop and the coffee is big and not ridiculously expensive.

Yet I’m not a huge fan of working in coffee shops. I tend to get distracted and spend my time people watching. So what can you do if you’re a freelancer? Do you spend all your time at home, typing away until you get mole eyes and forget how to interact with people?

Ok, maybe that’s just me but you get my point. So if you freelance full time where can you go?

1. Home

Home is a very popular place to freelance. You don’t have to buy coffee, you can just make it. The trick when working from home is to minimize distractions. Turn off the television and leave the laundry alone. Some freelancers I know turn off their wifi so they don’t get distracted and start surfing the internet.

The downside is that the quiet can start to press in on you and affect your focus. Then you end up going for coffee.

2. Coffee shops

I’m in a minority with coffee shops, I think. I did a very unscientific poll with my freelance friends (and those who work from home) and the consensus was going out for coffee can provide a break and refresh the mind. This doesn’t mean any coffee shop. As Shawn Micallef says, “Depends. I lose hours walking, looking for the right one.” 

Kate McAuley likes the coffee shop because, “Certainly. Getting out is great for inspiration, reflection and connection to the outside world.”

David Weisz agrees. “I like coffee shops, but depending on what I’m doing, sometimes they’re not conducive to the type of work I need to get done. I at least like to get out and grab a coffee and come back, a la Kate McAuley’s comment.”

However, in work-at-home solidarity with me, Karen Geier does not do coffee shops. She will use this app called Coffivity to recreate the background hum of a coffee shop. (Basically Karen is my apps woman.)

She says, “Home. Use something like simplynoise or my noise or coffitivity.com to get the benefit of the noise without the reality of interruptions and distractions. Use visits to coffee shops as rewards for getting blocks of work done.”

3. Coworking spaces

Rent a space or a desk and use it when you need to be around people. Or better yet, when you are collaborating on a short- or long-term project and don’t have a permanent office space. They are easy to find or if you have a group of freelancers who want to create your own space, you can rent an office. The benefits: you get a desk and access to office equipment that you may not need regularly or can’t afford. You may also find yourself inspired by your coworking colleagues.

The cons to a coworking space is that you may not like your fellow workers or if you get easily distracted, well..

4. Galleries or museums

Some spaces will let you sit for a few hours and write. The hope is that you absorb the creativity just lurking in the air.  Ok, that may not happen but galleries and museums are lovely places to visit for inspiration. Bring a pen and pencil.