Here we are again, it’s monday and we have no internet service. I feel like Comcast is punishing me for cancelling our cable service a few weeks ago. Or maybe there is a tree down or… or… who knows what the deal is. All I know is that I am sitting in a coffee shop for the second monday in a row typing away. 😉
So in an effort to be more productive, here’s my plan:
- Put in headphones. I’m going to block out all of the sounds and the music and the flirting around me by popping in headphones and playing some music. Or white noise. Anything to prevent me from getting distracted by my surroundings.
- Stay focused. Speaking of distractions, I’m going to look at my screen and only my screen. I’m not going to constantly look up and people watch. Eyes on the prize.
- Don’t make eye contact with anyone. If I do, that’ll open myself up to idle chit chat that I don’t want or have time for {I made this mistake once!}. If I happen to accidentally catch someone’s eye, I’ll smile and quickly look down, letting them know I’m much too busy for a conversation with stranger. Sounds mean, but I have to stay focused, remember?
- Make a plan. I’m going to set mini goals for myself. One post must be done within 30 minutes; constant typing for 10 minutes; if I focus on replying to emails for 20 minutes I get a cookie.
- Buy a cookie. Or scone. Or coffee. Or anything that will provide nourishment and give me energy. Also, it’s just a jerk move to take up space in a coffee shop if you aren’t a paying customer. Don’t be a jerk.
- Leave a tip. If my internet is down tomorrow {and fingers crossed it’s not}, I’ll be right back here. Makes sense to treat the baristas right so they will welcome me with open arms instead of glares!
Do you ever work from a coffee shop? Any great tips for me?
Wish me luck!
Your internet-less friend,
~Mavis
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Laura says
I realize that this may fall on deaf ears, but why don’t you try McDonald’s? No one wants to socialize there and the internet is free. Cheap coffee too, or tea, or oatmeal, whatever you prefer. Lights are bright too so you don’t have to squint!
Mavis Butterfield says
I never thought about Mcdonald’s!!! I’m pretty sure a cup of tea would be less expensive there and the distractions minimal. Thanks!
Dena says
Call Comcast & tell them that since you work from home, your internet is vital to your business. For the past two days you have been unable to conduct business in your home, as you normally would. Tell them that they owe you for two days worth of business costs as you have had to leave your home in order to conduct your business elsewhere. Demand compensation & demand to know when your business can again, be up & running at your home address. Who knows what orders you are missing by having to leave to access the internet, while paying additional costs (coffee shop or food stop), to do so!
Vicki says
Oh, good old Comcast – apparently they operate the same on the west coast as they do here on the east coast. We had problems with our cable internet a few weeks ago. My daughter complained about me not being able to work from home and they ended up refunding their charges for the days the internet service was unavailable. And then they got our here quickly to repair the cable that had “gone bad” (how in the world does that even happen?).
Heather says
I love all of your tips! I work from home and while my internet rarely goes out, I get really lonely sometimes. My boss actually suggested I work in a coffee shop so I can socialize bahahaaa…. I will be trying this out!
Cheri says
I regularly work at coffee shops and have for many years. I don’t have a very comfortable situation to work at home, and even if I do get comfortable, I get tired of being home sometimes. But I have a very hard time finding comfortable coffee shops. The music is almost always too loud, or the atmosphere isn’t conducive to focus. The coffee shops with the lowest music volume, especially if they consistently brew decaf, get my business. I can’t stand Starbucks, because it doesn’t fit either criteria (and I don’t like their coffee anyway), but that makes it hard because they have a monopoly where I live. I think my main tip for working productively is to deal with the noise in whatever way works for you and to not sit for more than an hour without buying something else. But I think you already pointed those out. Oh, and bring your charger; I almost always stay longer than I think I will. At Caribou Coffee (where I like to go), this is hard because they give free refills and I don’t always want a baked good, but I try to be considerate and buy more when I can.
Sandra says
Your library has free WiFi, plus you can reserve a study room to work in. Could be a break from the chaos of a coffee shop.
Alison R says
May I just say: COMCAST! Worst. Company. Ever.
We have resided in TN (4 different places), OH, VA, NC and now GA. Issues in every state constantly.
Good luck!