How to Take Your Office Anywhere

Coffee Shops & Public Spaces Offer Respite from the Drab Desk Scene

May 15, 2009 Nicole Adamson

As popular as "The Office" is with TV viewers, the real office sometimes can feel like a bad rerun. Here's how to ditch your desk and take your work on the road.

With advances in mobile technology and employers’ efforts to cut costs in a tough economy, “work” is becoming less of a place and more of a state of productivity. Fortunately for employees, this means more flexibility and freedom. Following are some suggestions for creating an effective mobile workspace.

Where to Get Wi-Fi

These days, Internet access is to work as bed is to sleep. Fortunately, free Wi-Fi is popping up everywhere from grocery stores to hair salons to entire downtowns. And it doesn’t stop there. In May 2009, Novatel releases the MiFi 2200, new technology that grants users access to personal Wi-Fi bubbles. Available from Verizon, the portable, rechargeable, pocket-sized device provides up to four hours of Internet for up to five users at a time.

There’s no telling what other innovations could shape the future of Web access. In the meantime, here are some places to nab a free connection:

• Libraries
• Downtown hot spots
• Some college student centers and other campus buildings
• Airports and other major transportation hubs
• Fast food restaurants, including some Subway, McDonalds and Burger King locations
• Panera Bread locations
• Some hotel lobbies
• Starbucks, if you are an AT&T customer

For more locations, check out Wi-Fi Free Spot.

Controlling the Surroundings

Chatting up the barista between projects just might help you work better. Researchers from MIT recently found that workers with more social connections and more interactions with coworkers in their social network had the highest productivity. The study was discussed in the Dec. 2008 issue of the Gallup Management Journal. Similar studies have suggested that taking breaks to socialize helps reenergize the mind.

It’s important to know when to welcome distraction and when to avoid it. Before dishing out $4 for a latte and parking your laptop at a bustling coffee shop, be aware of background noise, including traffic, music and conversations. And definitely take a noise-inventory before making any phone calls.

The Outdoor Office

Not all outdoor spaces are created equal, especially when they serve as the backdrop for mental tasks. A recent University of Michigan study published in Psychological Science explored the effects of natural and city settings on students' concentration and cognition. The study, "The Cognitive Benefits of Interacting With Nature," found that students who walked through arboretum significantly outscored their city-strolling counterparts on a test of attention and working memory.

While it may confer benefits, working in the great outdoors is not without challenges. You might be tempted to tote a laptop to the beach, only to find that the sun shining in your eyes, wind blowing your hair and sweat dripping down your back do not make for a productive work environment. A better choice might be a shaded table at a park, with nearby access to restrooms and a power source (to charge a laptop if necessary). Or, consider working on the patio at home. Since being outside limits access to technology, plan to tackle tasks that don’t require Internet or computer access.

Keeping Costs Low

Working outside of the home saves money by cutting personal energy costs, but frugal intentions can backfire if temptation gets in the way. If you’re patronizing a café or other business that sells food, it’s OK to order something simple such as coffee or tea. And don’t worry if your cup runs dry: Unless it gets so crowded that other customers don’t have a place to sit, there’s no reason café commuters should have to leave.

Also, consider working in public spaces such as libraries and other municipal buildings, where there’s no obligation to spend money.

The copyright of the article How to Take Your Office Anywhere in Career Advice is owned by Nicole Adamson. Permission to republish How to Take Your Office Anywhere in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

A Man Gets to Work at a Chicago Starbucks.

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