The perfect office
I am way more productive sitting in my favorite coffee shop, Zoka, than I ever am at home. I know it’s cliche - a writer bent over his laptop, feverishly writing; a cold, half-empty coffee cup nearby, forgotten - but it’s completely true. Having come to appreciate this, I’ve decided on the qualities of the perfect office:
- Relaxed atmosphere - it’s warm and comfy. I can pad around in my socks like it was my living room - even if it isn’t.
- Crappy net access - The net only works well enough that if I really want to find something, my desire dominating my patience, I can find it. The net mustn’t work well enough to do the usual stream-of-consci…oh look a butterfly…ousness surfing nor should email & IM function. Useful, but not distracting.
- Warm drinks & sugary munchies prepared for me - creativity requires lots and lots of chocolate. I’m pretty sure scientists have proven it - or are at least intensely researching it. Plus, I don’t have to be the one to remember that my tea has been boiling for an hour now.
- Gently bustling - people coming and going provide just enough distraction to jostle my brain when it’s stuck, but not enough to deter me. It makes me feel like part of a tribe. I feel the soothing presence of other people; the staff watching over us; Jane Goodall, ever vigilant.
- No other distractions - with the cell phone turned off, the phone doesn’t ring; nobody knocks on the door; I don’t see a thousand other projects to finish or garbage cans to empty.
- Human-folk conveniently available for small talk - after an hour of maniacally pounding through an idea, nothing is as soothing as a little light banter before the next wave.
- Cool soundtrack - just surprising enough to be entertaining, just quiet enough to not distract.
- A bathroom a few steps away - say no more.
- The need to be productive - I’ve bring only what I need for this project and this project alone. I come with a specific goal (which itself may be the real reason for my productivity gain). No distractions. If I truly want to relax & waste time, it’s more comfortable to do that elsewhere.
