Why do many people work better in cafes, compared to home?

[Dien Rice]

I thought I'd share some thoughts... Which you may benefit from, or at least find interesting...

I'm a person who seems to work better in some cafes, compared to working at home...

...But not in all cafes!

Some of the world's best-known writers have done much of their work in cafes... People like Ernest Hemingway, J.K. Rowling, and Malcolm Gladwell...*

For those for whom it is true - why is it so?

Here are my thoughts - on what works for me! (It goes without saying, your mileage may vary...)

I find that, to work well, I need a cafe that's...

• Not too empty, but also not too busy
• Where they'll generally leave me alone (and not come around and talk to me every 5 minutes)
• Where they have good hot beverages and snacks
• Where other people are also working (ideally)

Why?

• Not too empty, but also not too busy

This is because if it is empty, it's boring. If it's too busy, it's distracting and probably too noisy. If it's somewhere in-between, there's enough activity to keep me from being bored, but not too much so as to be too distracting!

• Where they'll leave me alone

This is self-evident! If I'm constantly being asked if I want to order anything else every 5 minutes, it's hard to concentrate.

• Where they have good hot beverages and snacks

I like to keep my basic needs satisfied, so they're not distracting!

If my stomach growls, for example, I can easily get a quick snack, to enjoy myself and solve the stomach growling problem!

• Where other people are also working (optional)

I think this is the "monkey see, monkey do" theory. If you see other people also working, it makes you feel like you should be working too, and you're more likely to do so!

Best wishes!

Dien

* Writers who did their best work in cafes
https://www.coffeemagazine.co.za/blo...-work-in-cafes