Get Your To-Do List Done at Your Local Coffee Shop
I am lucky enough to live in Portland, Oregon, home of all things coffee. A perfect city to explore amazing local coffee shops, and do my work (writing and illustrating) in the most pleasurable way possible.
Working in a Coffee Shop is an Easier Way to Get Things Done
Inside of a coffee shop, I can do most anything. I am transformed into a superhero of sorts.
From the most mundane to the exciting, I am somehow able to do my work without the struggle that can sometimes occur at home.
In an environment where I am not concerned about the piling up of dishes, I find myself able to relax enough to get down to business and do what matters.
Emails that would take me ages to get back to are expediently sent out, bills paid, and, of course, sketches are drawn and stories written.
And while it is not always necessary for me to leave the house to do my work, sometimes, it is a way that involves the least kicking and screaming. Going to a coffee shop is akin to me getting out of my head, and escaping the voices if you will.
In the mix of the music, talking, coffee grinding and clinking of cups on saucers, I am somehow able to tune into the most important voice. The voice that calls me forward to do what I most want or need to do.
Exploring Local Coffee Houses to Find a Perfect Fit
If you have the time or the inkling, I’d urge you to try out the local gems and find that one special coffee shop that was made for you. Within the local shops there is such a variety of environments that you are sure to find a perfect fit, making it completely worth the effort. As for me, I prefer coffeehouses on the quieter end of the spectrum, adult libraries of sorts where people come to work and speak softly. I have found a couple in Portland that completely cater to this need, and butter my nerdy biscuits regularly.
Changing Your Environment is Key to Getting Unstuck
And, though you may not be a writer, I have a suspicion that you may have a list of things you want to do, yet haven’t managed to accomplish within the confines of your own home. So, consider this your official invitation to explore how a little caffeine and change in environment could be just the ticket to beginning to cross off your to do’s with greater efficiency and ease. Just don’t forget to bring your headphones.
Illustration courtesy of the (multi-talented) Colleen Overman.
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December 19th, 2008 at 5:10 am
Fantastic drawing! And I am totally with you. I have often thrown all the piles on my desk into a canvas bag and headed out with my laptop to the nearest coffee shop. I gravitate toward the ones with free wi-fi-Panera Bread and Whole Foods…
December 19th, 2008 at 7:56 am
I knew I had moved to the wrong neighborhood when I discovered there were no coffee shops within walking distance! I read that Jennifer Weiner does most of her writing in coffee shops, too.
December 19th, 2008 at 7:56 am
This is so true for me! I haven't been working on-site at any clients' lately and have often spent half of my day in the coffee shop doing work and writing – especially when they have the free wi-fi! And I find it easier to focus there as well, strange, considering the goings on. There definitely is a link to productivity, and I find it helpful in getting unstuck too. Thx Colleen!
December 20th, 2008 at 6:29 am
This is exactly what happens to me. I shuffle my slippers, drag my heels and huff and puff at my own ineptitude when I'm home, BUT the second I hit the local Starbee, everything's perfect in my working world. I have finished a film criticism book there (out next Spring, woo hoo) and I am currently editing the last chapter of my PhD at my usual table. I don't know what it is but being removed from the domestic setting gets my creative juices flowing right away. And a caramel macchiato also helps yeah…
December 30th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
I am a believer! I have done some of my best work (and some pivotal breakthroughs) in coffee shops. Though it is nice to form relationships with one place, I like to play the field, and choose the shop that best suits my mood. Of course, this is a luxury of living in Toronto where there is an abundant amount of independent coffee houses with their own signature atmosphere.
It's all about atmosphere for me. And the smell more so than the consumption of coffee.
Great drawing Colleen!
March 6th, 2009 at 6:04 am
escaping the voices, eh?!! i commend your honesty. bravo. tee hee. and i agree. colleen is indeed multi-talented and my older sister! excellent sketch, colleen!!!!! love you.