I always see people sitting in Starbucks and they have some code opened on their screens and they have their head phones on. Since some of them are pretty cool looking I also decided to work in the coffee shop for 1 day. My experience was that even if you have noise cancelling head phones still there is lot of noise (bose qc 35). It distracting to see so many people move around. Writing code is exceptionally hard with so much movement. (Some people even look at the screen). The smell of coffee is good at first but later it becomes over bearing and after some time my clothes started smelling of coffee. Lastly i feel little bit of guilt of sitting in the coffee shop for long time and not giving them business so I end up ordering lots is expensive sugary (or cheesy) drinks and condiments. I wasted lot of money as each thing is close to 10 dollars after tax. So how come people work there on a daily basis?
I wrote 3 novels, a PM dashboard and a HTML5 game largely in the 2 hrs or more per day spent at coffee shops. When you have kids and no home office, you will find the coffee shop far less distracting.
Why not the library?
Library is boringgg
Yes I really work at SB on daily basis. Just perference
Lol! Apart from your experiment, how would you rate Bose QC 35 headphones. I've been thinking of buying them but don't feel like shelling 350. What's your take?
Sometimes the chaos in the room helps one focus. For me, it’s easier to shut out complete strangers than colleagues or family.
Depends on how you function. If you are someone who needs less distractions, have a home where it’s peaceful and quiet and can get work done, then working in coffee shops has no added benefit. In fact, I’ve seen people (and my own spouse) work at the local library carrying a home brewed thermos of coffee and being able to focus on code for almost 4-5 hours at a stretch. We are frugal people by nature, so anyway prefer not having to pay $4-$5 per cup of coffee and then re-ordering it a couple of times to assuage the guilt of warming a chair in a dimly lit cafe with too much air con. But this is my perspective. People who get work done in coffee shops might have a different exp.
Strip clubs are better to work in than a coffee shop.
The coffee shop background sounds can quickly turn into white noise
Just order basic tea/black coffee. Don't go for the sugary stuff
You have no obligation to buy anything more than 1 drink. Stop thinking there is some implied social requirement it’s just your weakness. I work from specialty coffee shops almost daily it’s great and I love it. Easy to ignore others without headphones. The only bad part is when I have to take calls and there is inappropriate music on in the background or it’s super loud.
It’s fine to only buy 1 drink, but I tip well if I plan to hang out all day and only order one coffee.
"When you have to take calls and there is inappropriate music".. lol good one. When you have to take calls *in someone else's business". The shop isnt your private office you arrogant piece of shit. And if you sat in my shop all day taking calls and paying for 1 $3 coffee, I'd kick your ass to the curb.
They don’t really work