I’m a full time remote worker and have a room at home set up as an office I can shut myself away in. As I’ve talked about before I love working from home but this week for the first time I decided to try remote working from a public space. I choose a local Wetherspoons as it seemed to tick all the boxes and was a short walk from home.

Setting Off #

The night before I actually made a list to ensure I’d have everything I needed. Small things like earphones that I don’t normally use should come in very handy in a public space. One last mental check before leaving home and I was off. Luckily it was a dry morning and having a walk first thing was very nice.

Essentials, Free WiFi and Power #

A lot of places have free WiFi these days so I knew that wouldn’t be a problem but it was only on my way that I realised I would need a power supply to last the whole day, rookie error. I opted for the honest approach and just asked when I arrived. Handily there was a nice table tucked away at the back with a power socket.

What do I do When I Need the toilet? #

Everything was going well and then I hit my first “What do I do now?” moment. When I need to pop to the toilet what do I do with all my stuff. By this time there was a table of retired gentlemen sat on the table beside me. I had protectors of my belongings.

Not as Many Screen Breaks #

When I’m at home I find myself getting up to make a drink a bit more often and normally have few paces around the kitchen while I wait for the kettle to boil. Being somewhere where food and drink are brought to you I found myself sitting in the same place for a lot longer than I usually would.

Planning Calls #

As I mentioned in my “Make working from home work for you and your team” post I like to make myself available for quick chats with colleagues. Today I had no client calls planned and didn’t end up needing to chat with anyone else. I had my earphones and I suppose I would just have had to try and talk at a polite volume had I needed to.

How Long Can I Stay #

Then came the second “What do I do now?” moment. When I arrived I ordered food and drink, but now I feel like I’ve outstayed my welcome, and that was nothing to do with the staff just my internal thoughts. So I ordered another drink and a small bite to eat.

Overall Productivity #

When lunchtime came I made sure to leave and have some time away from the “desk” just as I do at home. I got plenty done away from home and don’t feel it impacted my productivity at all. It was nice to be somewhere different and it adds to my enjoyment that I’m lucky enough to have a job where I can do such a thing.

Would I do it Again? #

Yes, but certainly not everyday. Ignoring the cost of buying food and drink so I feel like I can stay, I do like being in the home office. Maybe I shall save it as a once a month treat.