A coffee shop tends to be a go-to location for those working remotely who need to get out of the house. 

Just like coworking, a coffee shop provides you a space that is separate from your home so you can maintain your work-life balance. But a coffee shop can’t provide all of your needs. While this may seem like a tempting idea, these spaces are not built to cater to the working individual and may cause additional problems.

Before deciding on coffee shops for working remotely, think about these concerns:

Coffee shops often try to create a specific ambiance, which may include playing music louder than you’d prefer. There’s also the noise of the coffee grinder and other appliances while employees work on customers’ orders. These noises can prove distracting, even over a nice pair of headphones. 

It is also possible that other patrons will be talking loudly to one another or on their phones. Unfortunately, you cannot control the noise in a coffee shop, and they are not meant to cater to your preferences.

Coworking spaces, on the other hand, do give you some options. The space may also have some background noise, but it will generally be at a professional level because everyone there has the same goal of accomplishing work. 

There won’t be any angry customers or crying babies. Additionally, most coworking places also offer more private options if you’d like an even quieter space.

You don’t know who will walk in next to the local coffee shop. It could be a rowdy customer or a family of four (or a zombie). These people can be loud and distracting and end up hindering your ability to work more than getting out of the house helped it.

Thankfully, those in coworking spaces tend to be there for the same purpose: to get work done. This means you don’t have to worry about major distractions or anyone being too rowdy for the space.

If the coffee shop of your choosing does offer free Wi-Fi, is it really reliable? Even the most upscale restaurants can have connectivity issues. There is little more annoying than your internet connection dropping randomly. A coworking space is dedicated to work, so you can be sure that a fast, secure network is a priority.

Even if you’re a regular customer at this specific coffee shop, you may not be able to find a seat every time you need it or you may be forced to sit in an area that is distracting or missing outlets. The seating situation is dependent upon the other customers, but a coworking space gives you a dedicated space for a specific amount of time.

Public Wi-Fi is always risky when it comes to keeping your passwords and other content private, and the coffee shops themselves are not responsible for monitoring your personal belongings if you have to go to the bathroom. Coworking spaces solve this problem by having secure lockers and requiring keycards to enter the building.

Is working at that coffee shop really free? Some places require you to make a purchase every few hours in order to keep your spot. If you’re working there all day, that could be a $5 charge every few hours. This ends up being comparable to the price of maintaining a membership with a coworking space, and at least you’ll have more of the amenities you need at that location.

While coffee shops may seem like a good alternative, they really can’t compete with the benefits of coworking. If you truly want to be productive and flourish in the environment in which you are working, it’s time to give coworking a try.

Coworking is an alternative option that offers flexibility to remote workers with the amenities of an office. It consists of a shared space, often with communal equipment, where individuals work independently but build a community of shared ideas and knowledge.

If you want to learn more about coworking or check out a space yourself, contact Brix Coworking in Madison, Wisconsin. Brix provides affordable coworking and workspace solutions for small businesses, remote workers, entrepreneurs, and freelancers. 

Connect with Brix Coworking today to schedule a tour and get more information.