Morning Coffee Productivity
how local coffee shops help beyond caffeination before work
Coffee shops are magical places
Fundamentally, they are spots to caffeinate and enjoy delicious pastries. Many offer much more. Coffee shops are places to be productive and collaborate on side projects. They are places to socialize and meet new people. Most have plenty of seating, plugs to charge your laptop, and wifi. They are open before business offices. They have wonderful ambiance that gets creative ideas flowing.
How it started
My infatuation with coffee shops started last year. My friend Brandon Fancher and I started meeting at our local coffee shop before our day jobs. We worked on a crytocurrency side project. This started as a weekly routine. Then our work became a daily habit. We had an excuse to leave our houses early, and skip the traffic. We held each other accountable. We started a routine of coffee, code, crypto, and conversation. We got a lot done!
The best part: friends
We invited our friends, Samantha Shaibani and Garren DiPasquale, to collaborate. We showed them our work. They started contributing. Other friends made guest appearances. Mel, Derek, Eric, Lanie, Sarah, Tim, Amy, Marcus, Alex. Our morning coffee habit and side projects impressed them. They worked on their own things during morning coffee. They learned how much time (and fun) we could have before our day jobs.
We even made friends of the other coffee regulars. You know, those people you see every morning. We’ll, we started talking to them! We met restaurant owners, architects, local developers, and even a DJ. Folks we never would have met otherwise!
Morning time
Turns out, there’s a lot of time in the morning, if you plan it. Many of us technology and business people work something like 9 to 5. You can make time at the coffee shop, for a side project, paying bills, drawing, or socializing. Maybe it’s 20 minutes. Maybe it’s 2 hours, if you’re really ambitious. It’s a strangely productive time. Science says we’re more productive in the morning anyways. But perhaps there’s more…
Coffee Shop Effect
Kat Boogaard, freelance writer, explains how coffee shops boost productivity in her article: The Coffee Shop Effect.
First, she explains, you are more productive in coffee shops since the brain loves novelty. So being in a new environment, that’s not your office or house, stimulates the brain, and motivates you to do work.
Second, you can fall victim to unproductive routines in your office. So a coffee shop helps break those routines, which spurs productivity.
Third, going to a coffee shops sets an intent for productivity. The mindful intent to leave the house early for side work shows you’re already committed.
Finally, coffee shops offer less distractions. There are no office coworkers asking about TPS reports. There are no household chores that need attention.
Oh, and caffeine generally helps with productivity. And coffee shops have plenty.
Some cool coffee shop outputs
Convinced morning coffee helps with productivity and side projects? I am! Here are a few of my own side projects that got done over morning coffee.
How to morning coffee
Interested in trying morning coffee? Want to experience the coffee shop effect?
This is how:
- 🐓 Intentionally wake up 20–30 minutes earlier, to start.
- 🚙 Get yourself to a local coffee shop. Preferably one that’s on the way to work. You may gain some time back, by leaving early, and avoiding traffic.
- ☕️ Buy a coffee. Tea works too. And pastries.
- 🛠 Open your laptop. Pay some bills. Write a blog post. Start a side project. Email long-lost friends. Draw.
- 🤝 Invite like-minded friends to join you. Talk to the regulars. Make friends with the barista.
- 🥕 Keep at it! Morning coffee is a habit. It’s about purposely putting yourself in a productive and collaborative place.
- 🗣 Share your work, if you make something.
Don’t have time for morning coffee…?
Shucks… But good news:
You can mimic a coffee shop. Try Coffitivity. It’s an app that plays ambient coffee shop sounds. It boosts creativity and helps you work better. Find a comfortable spot. Put on those noise canceling headphones, and enjoy!
Need a coffee shop idea?
Speaking of side projects over coffee…. If you’re in Charlotte, check out these local coffee shops.
