While many people prefer to work inside a secluded office, others need variety in their professional lives. In fact, Fast Company reports that the office is actually the least desirable place to work in terms of productivity and efficiency. Whether you need a change of scenery or you sometimes work on the road, consider these excellent places to work outside the office.
1. Restaurants
Settle down with your laptop and a cup of the restaurant’s finest roast.
A restaurant sometimes produces just as much noise as a corporate bullpen, but the ambiance keeps some people calm and focused. From coffee houses and bakeries to five-star eateries, grab a few bites of brain food and piggyback on the establishment’s Wi-Fi connection.
Consider a restaurant that offers free refills of your favorite beverage. After you finish your meal (or even if you don’t order food at all), you’ll have a reason to remain at your table until you cross every item off your current to-do list.
If you want the home-away-from-home office experience, investigate co-op work spaces in your city. These venues offer the same benefits of a regular office – Internet connections, phones, break rooms, and sometimes even conference rooms – but you have complete control over how you use them.
According to the New York Times, co-ops also provide solo workers a chance to bond with like-minded professionals. If you’re a freelancer, for example, you might miss out on all the perks of shared office space while working on your own from home.
You don’t have to book a room to take advantage of the free Wi-Fi in most hotels’ common areas. Sit down on one of the chairs or couches in the lobby and get to work. As a bonus, many hotels feature on-site restaurants or coffee shops in case you need a break.
Your local park might not feature an Internet connection, but sometimes that works in your favor. Disconnect from the World Wide Web and focus instead on an offline project or a planning session. The natural surroundings, cool breeze, and soft nature sounds might inspire renewed creativity.
Many freelancers enjoy home offices decked out with desks, printers, and other handy supplies. Although working in the same room sometimes breeds monotony and boredom, you might not want to get in your car and leave the house. Shall we say pajama day?
Change it up by working in a different room – one you normally wouldn’t consider for working. Try the kitchen counter, the backyard swing, the chaise lounge in your bedroom. Just step outside your comfort zone for a change of pace.
Many colleges and universities feature public spaces, such as libraries and quadrangles, where students (and non-students) gather to work, study, and chat. The combination of soothing white noise and Wi-Fi access makes universities the perfect office away from work.
The perfect place to work outside your office depends on what environment helps you maintain productivity and how you structure your day. Consider the places you have to be. For example, if you volunteer at your child’s school, take time to work in the teacher’s lounge between tasks. Once you find a place that works, use it every chance you get.