Earmark “Alternative Offices” When Working Remotely

When traveling, Panera Bread is my office away from office: free WiFi (although they limit your time to a half-hour during busy lunch periods), food, caffeine-flavored drinks. At home, my suboffice is at the library because it's air-conditioned, but I can't get on their WiFi there. I bring a memory stick with portable apps on it if I need to use a public computer.

thirdfury

I'm happy to have found this today. I've been feeling kind of sick of my home office and I think is because I haven't gone out much this week. I'll plan better for next week.

Best places I've found are hotel lobbies. After about 9 am on weekdays, they are deserted, the staff doesn't care a whit if you sit there all day. If you time it right, you can snag free drinks, free food and free WiFi. And grab a free newspaper on the way out the door. Best time of day is around 3-4 pm, because many places put out heavy hors d'ourves around then. I use Hampton Inns, Holiday Inns and the best one around here is a Homewood Suites. They put beer and wine out.

Very comfortable and at least as ubiquitous as Panera Bread or Atlanta Bread Co. Nobody is as ubiquitous as Starbucks.

DaveyNC

Our house is not air conditioned and the past few weeks of 100-degree-plus heat have driven me to the library more and more often. I wish their chairs weren't so doggone uncomfortable, though.

My problem is I'm on the phone at least a couple hours of most days, so that rules out libraries or anywhere else where people would be annoyed by me talking on my headset. So, I usually just stick to the home office.

cc82

During 2+ years of working from home, I have found myself wanting to work outside the house more frequently than when I first started. It just feels like my focus and motivation are much better outside the house. In either case, I am still completely independent with no one watching over my shoulder, but the tendency to let my mind (and browser) drift at home are a bit worse.

Lately I have been working at my second office 2-3 days a week, and it has made big difference in my productivity. The remote office is nothing special, just a folding table in the back room of a friend's small business (where my wife also works, so we carpool). I keep a keyboard and second monitor there to give it the same feel as my home setup. The only big difference I can think of between the spaces is that I sit in front of a huge window in the remote office, granted the view is of a major street and the back of some houses, but at least I can see outside.

There is one other difference I suppose. The wife could walk back at any moment and bust me for slacking off... like I am now.

JayDeEm

@kettlewhistle: The headphones are a must. I use in-ear noise isolating phones and sometimes I feel like I'm the only one there.

It's awesome

@OneTrickPony: How about change of scenery, or the need for a place to work without the distractions of home?

It's also why I occasionally prefer to read at a Starbucks or B&N than at home.

amcglamry

I've been working at home part time for 7 years, and FT for almost 2 years. If you like working in coffee shops and libraries, go for it. But I don't understand why it's terribly important or needs to be planned out in advance. Of course, most of my clients are in foreign countries and I never meet them, ever.

I do sometimes squeeze in work when I'm out and about, but that takes place in places like the waiting room at #1 Sprog's violin lessons, in the passenger seat while husband is driving, or at the airport between flights. I don't so much see the appeal of intentionally planning and paying for overpriced coffee just to be able to work someplace where you can't control the thermostat or put your feet up on the furniture.

@GA TechWriter: Well at least you are a fan. We do get wireless all over campus and it is the second or third fastest in the state, although as a visitor you would have to pay for it. ABC's are probably a much more affordable option for you :) That and their soup bread bowls are delicious!

Meh. I always hang out at coffee shops with my legs crossed, ostensibly using my MacBook or pouring over a dog-eared copy of "No Exit." This way, you no longer need to wonder if I'm hipper than you are. Now you know.

/before smoking bans, I polluted your space with clove cigarettes

nolabar10der

I used to work at a B&N that had one of those long bar-height counters along one of the walls in the cafe, with tons of outlets. Corporate ended up having the counter removed because of the squatters running their businesses out of the store. Got plenty of complaints from those who had grown accustomed to the privilege.

amcglamry

@kettlewhistle: I base it on price. WiFi is super cheap, so if I buy one cup of regular plain jane coffee, that's an hour. If it's a super deluxe Frappucino with all the works, I might even stay up until 4 hours.

@GrapeofWrathNYC: If it's a long call, I'll step outside... short call, no one seems to notice or care. I tihnk it depends on the place and the mood.

@clintosterholz: My problems with SB (and Caribou Coffee shops in Atlanta) include one or more of the following:

* Too cold
* Music too loud
* No available seats

* Lack of wall plugs (used to be on the list but my new 12 cell battery makes my laptop a dream to use anywhere, anytime)

@Toastie: While I love GT, I didn't attend that school - I'm a technical writer in Atlanta, thus my GA TechWriter name. Still, I know that GT is a friend to wireless devices everywhere on that campus.

@kettlewhistle: At the coffee shop where I'm a fairly regular regular I usually treat it as 1 cup = 1-3 hours. It really depends on many factors. Refills are luckily

UlbrechtMalingsia

I have worked from home for over 2 and a half years. I would LOVE to get out of the house every once in a while. However, I frequently receive client calls. I don't want to be the guy filling the place up with chatter. How does everyone else manage this while working from a cafe or library? Any other suggestions for places?

GrapeofWrathNYC

I quickly found this out. I was lucky enough to find a web-commuting position six months ago. While I started off strong, I started to get lazy about waking up on time, getting dressed, etc. That can be okay because my schedule is flexible and I sometimes don't have any urgent projects, but when I really need to hunker down and get stuff done, I go to a local coffee shop.

Generally, I try to find a corner booth and listen to music on some big DJ headphones to block out noise. Being in a different environment without the usual home distractions really puts me in a different mindset and forces me to get things done.

I've also found that just working in a different place in my house for a few hours helps to freshen up my brain.

Side question--what's the appropriate amount of time you can spend at a coffee shop if you only buy one drink? I usually stay about 1.5 to 2 hours. Anything longer than that and I feel like I'm being a jerk, even if it's not busy. Should I buy another drink if I want to keep mooching their wifi?

kettlewhistle

You really can't beat a Starbucks--despite their stupid registration for a Starbucks card so you can use WiFi--for setting up shop unless you happen to be in a busy location where people take up all the tables. I will usually brazenly ask a solo person if I can share his table with a fairly high success rate.

@GA TechWriter: Mine is the east commons of the GT library, a place I imagine you are familiar with. Also the second floor has the quiet study area that I use when finals roll around. The Klaus atrium is also a great place to get some light work done.

My "second office" is Atlanta Bread Company - free WiFi, low volume on the piped-in music, they recognize me and have my standard order ready to go... they don't bug me for spending two or three hours in a booth... and they have good food.