Finding A Good Coffee House To Use As An Office

I frequently find myself in coffee houses around town filling time between appointments. That's where I'm at now. Killing time before my 5:30 appointment. Walking from my car to the front door, I started going through a checklist of things I needed to consider before making my purchase. I've discovered there's some things need to check before committing myself to any location. Here it is. Maybe somebody else can benefit from it.

1. Check for free WiFi (Wireless Internet). Most coffee houses have this posted on the window next to the door. I haven't tested this, but I understand if you register a Starbuck's giftcard online, they offer free WiFi. I prefer It's a Grind and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf because you get free WiFi without having to jump through hoops. The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and Peet's Coffee are also great. At Peet's Coffee, just ask the cashier for an Internet code. At The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, look for the number on the logo on the TV screen to get the code.

2. Check for outlets. I hate ordering my drink then trying to find a table next to a power outlet to plug my laptop into. For a lot of people this won't be an issue. However, my laptop battery lasts about 2 nanoseconds on a good day. I typically will find a table and set up my laptop before ordering.

3. Look for distractions. I've learned to pay attention to the surroundings when I walk through the door. Is the music too loud or unusual? Is there a parent trying to homeschool two unruly children? (that was the case yesterday) Are the employees having an in depth conversation about stuff you'd rather not know? When I don't look for what can be a distraction, I sometimes get comfy and start working then realize I can't get anything done because of the atmosphere.

I hope this helps my fellow coffee-shop-as-an-office users out there. Bottom's up!

Bonus: If you go to It's A Grind, sometimes you should skip the coffee and opt for a warmed up chocolate chip cookie and a glass of milk. Ohhh... it's so incredibly good! They're super rich so you won't want to do it very often, but they're worth every calorie... and I'm kind of a health nut.