Are you a ‘Coffee Shop Worker?’
A company in America reported that by accident they discovered ‘coffee shop working’. They were moving premises and there was a bit of a gap between leaving the old office and taking the new one, so every now and again the owner used to go into a coffee shop to do some work. This gave him another side to his productivity, so much so that he continues with this practice quite regularly, despite having the new office
His reasons for doing so were mainly that the change of environment stimulated his creativity. Different sounds, experiences, people coming in and out, being away from the office phone and staff also meant fewer distractions.
Meeting new people was also beneficial because fresh ideas were born, or a different perspective was given to existing problems, or simply being inspired by someone that you talk to can all help breathe life into your business.
It is easy to get into a rut in any area of your life, so taking yourself out of a familiar environment and meeting new people is beneficial. It helps you to think differently, see your situations from another viewpoint and alters your thought processes so that new ideas will surface.
It is true when they say, “When you do what you’ve always done, you will get what you always got” Changing the status quo also stops you from becoming stale and bored, which when you’re in business, is not a point that you want to reach.
Hotels are good places to work from, they have comfortable seats, WIFI and many business people passing through, together with today’s portable technology it is worth a try. It is also a good place to meet your prospective clients, because it is neutral territory and both parties are more relaxed.
There is also the added advantage of providing local business with your business, it would be unethical to sit there all day with one drink, so buying coffees and meals is providing them with much needed custom too, once they get to know you, they may introduce you to people who are going to be of benefit. This was the experience the gentleman in America had, he was introduced to a publicist, a teacher whose class he covers, a sleep consultant and a wine consultant.
So is this something you have tried? What were your experiences?