Coffee shops are my second workspace for a good reason.
Buy a 3 or 4 dollar coffee and you get great perks. Free air conditioning. Free Wi-Fi. The creativity-inspiring cozy ambiance. When there are power outlets, you get free electricity too!
That said, coffee shops are far from perfect as a place to get things done. Building and maintaining focus can be a real challenge. Lucky you if that guy with a megaphone in his throat or the gossip squad sits far away. If they sit next to you, all I can say is… man, I’m so sorry.
But worry not. Even if distractions surround you, they won’t crush your focus.
Why? Because you will use the techniques I’m going to share with you.
They will not only keep your focus intact. They will also teach you how to rebuild it fast if the caffeinated, noisy iPad kids (or others) bulldoze it.
You will still go home from your favorite coffee shop productive with your tasks.
You can skip to a specific tip by clicking the links below.
- Listen to meditation music
- Bring a vision blocker
- Pick the right spot at the coffee shop
- Hit the coffee shop off-hour
- Do small tasks first
- Bonus
Preparing for super productive work sessions at coffee shops? Be sure to check out the coffee shop remote work challenges I faced and the solutions I came up with.
Here’s the thing about these tips and solutions:
I’ve been working from coffee shops as a content creator for three years now. Well, not all days of the week, but most of the time. These solutions I’m going to share are mine, and I’m happy to pass them on to you. I figured them out through chance and experience, and they work for me. I can’t guarantee they will work for you every time, but most of them will help. Pinky swear.
And before we get into the details, let me introduce myself.
I’m Eljon, and this blog is where I share my passion for online business, spirituality, and travel. My goal is to create content that is helpful and inspiring. Along the way, I aim to connect with fellow creators and like-minded people. If that sounds like you, let’s connect. You can learn more about me on my homepage.
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Let’s get to the first tip!
Meditation Music in Your Pocket
As an online business owner, most of my tasks demand sharp attention and cognitive effort.
Some involve creativity, like writing blog posts or designing infographics. Others need analysis, such as studying traffic trends and reviewing data. Then there are strategic tasks, centered on planning and reflecting on past results.
If you do similar work, you know how crucial it is to get something useful done.
Focus is so important that, when I’m working in a noisy coffee shop, I sometimes wished I was in a zen space. You know, that super peaceful place where your mind can attend to the present and build focus.
I can’t remember exactly when, but I realized it’s actually possible to reach that zen space.
Well, of course, not in person, but actually in a virtual way.
Like, have you ever tried meditation music on Spotify? I thought it might help me tune out the world and take me to a virtual zen.
Guess what? When I gave it a try, it actually worked.
Those Tibetan singing bowls, gong bath, drone music, and binaural beats? Their deep, resonant sounds silence distractions without hurting your ears.
In fact, the music they create is so pleasing that I ‘feel’ like I’m in another dimension when I listen to it.
Unlike pop and rock music, they don’t only overpower the noise around you. They also calm you and set your brain to a relaxed state, ready to build focus.
It’s perfect to listen to when working. This is especially true if there are gossip machines beside you in the coffee shop. And they are already exasperating you. LOL.
In fact, since I discovered it, meditation music is what I always listen to whenever I write blog posts. It lets words flow from my brain to my fingertips to the keys of my keyboard without a hitch.
It works like magic. You’ve got to try it!
Hood or Cap? Both Work.
truggle to ignore them. No matter what I do, no matter how I tell myself they’re not around, I find myself glancing from time to time.
This was a problem I ran into a lot, and I could see it was hurting my productivity. So I decided to fix it.
My first solution was simple. I tried nudging a little to keep them out of my sight.
Did it work? Nope. I still found myself glancing because it was easy to turn my head back their way.
My second solution was to move to another table or face the wall.
Did it work? Yes. But that’s not always an option, since sometimes all the good spots or comfy chairs are already taken.
Besides, I don’t like facing the wall because it kills my creativity. It also defeats the purpose of going to a coffee shop and enjoying the cozy surroundings. As a creative building my online business, I need that environment to inspire new ideas.
What turned out to be my best solution was bringing a hood or a cap to block my view.
With a cap, the solution is as simple as lowering the visor. Boom! All those attention-grabbing people disappear from sight.
With a hood, it’s as simple as pulling it forward over my head. Poof! They vanish from view.
The best part about wearing a hood is it keeps you warm. That comes in handy if the only spot left in the coffee shop is by the AC.
Hit the Right Spot
The quietest, dimmest corners of the coffee shop have their perks. You can hide from the chaos caused by those coffee-sipping chatterers and get more done.
But if you have the choice, I recommend working near the windows.
The natural light from the windows makes a big difference in keeping you focused and alert.
It helps regulate your body clock so your energy stays steady while you work. It also reduces strain on your eyes compared to darker spots or harsh bulbs. With more energy and less eye fatigue, it’s easier to stay focused on your tasks.
On top of that, natural light can improve your mood. It boosts serotonin and lowers stress hormones, helping you feel calmer and more positive as you work.
In my case, getting more natural light seems effective in keeping myself focused. Unless you have a sensitive skin, I recommend that you get as much sunlight too.
Thought I’d share:
As an Asian, I used to avoid sunlight. You know, we often view darker skin tones as less desirable. But when I learned how sunlight can boost productivity, I stopped worrying about my skin tone. Of course, I still take care of my skin, but what matters most now is building a successful business.
Drink During Off-Peak
One of the things I’m most grateful for as an online business owner is having full control over my schedule. I can work when it suits me best.
When my plan is to work from a coffee shop, I go during off-peak hours. It’s quieter, with fewer distractions, and I get to choose my spot.
For example, I can sit near others who focus on their work. Even better, their energy and hustle rub off on me, helping me stay even more productive.
The off-peak hours of coffee shops depend on their location. So it helps to do a bit of research first.
You can ask the barista; they usually know. If you’re a bit introverted like me, you can check Google Maps. The pages for different coffee shops often have a bar graph showing when it’s busy. You’ll find the graph near the end of the page, after the reviews section.
Fun fact.
In our country, the Philippines, coffee shops have unusual peak hours. More people go for coffee in the late afternoon, which is odd since coffee is usually a morning drink. Lunchtime can be busy too because some coffee shops serve meals.
That’s why you’ll often find me working from coffee shops after lunch until around 6.
Don’t Forget, Start Small
Distractions in a coffee shop are inescapable. They will wreck your focus several times during your stay in the shop. That’s something I’ve experienced firsthand.
When it happens to you, the best way to regain focus is to start with smaller tasks. Tasks that don’t take much mental effort. Tasks you can finish right away. This works because it helps you build momentum.
You know that satisfying feeling when you finish a task, even a small one? That feeling can trigger an avalanche of momentum. One small win pushes you to finish the next task. Then the next.
Also, are you familiar with deep work or the flow state? If yes, you already understand why starting small matters.
But for starters, we should remember that our brains don’t work like computers. Our brains can’t jump from zero to full speed fast. Focus builds over time. Think of your brain as a powerful but analog engine.
If you start with big, difficult tasks right after getting distracted, it won’t go well. Chances are, you’ll end up wasting time.
Your brain isn’t ready for them yet. You might also get frustrated when you can’t complete a hard task. That frustration can affect your mood and make it harder to get more done.
If you work for yourself or have full control over your priorities, this hack won’t be an issue.
Before going to a coffee shop to work, prepare a list of small tasks you can do after you lose your focus. In my case, some of these tasks include proofreading, interlinking blog posts, and more. Sometimes, I respond to emails or leave comments on other creators’ posts.
As soon as I start feeling focused again, I return to my main tasks.
Bonus: Sugar is Your Enemy
If there’s one thing that can break your focus, even in a coffee shop as quiet as a library, it’s sugar. Reduce it in your coffee or avoid it altogether.
Consuming sugar, especially in large amounts, can give you a quick burst of energy. But it’s usually followed by a crash that leaves you feeling sluggish. Yes, a sugar crash!
When that happens, experts say your blood sugar drops fast. Your brain then runs low on energy. This causes fatigue, irritability, and brain fog.
Focus under those conditions? Good luck.
I discovered this hack when I got frustrated. I kept yawning, even after gulping my favorite mocha frappe.
Each time, I wondered why it wasn’t keeping me awake. I was like, “Come on, bruh, I bought you to keep me awake so I can finish my blog post. Why do I still feel sleepy?”
And yes, after some digging, I found sugar was to blame.
Now, I skip sugar in my coffee, and I can focus better than ever. Almost every time, I order the most basic coffee. Brewed or Americano.
I only add a teaspoon of sugar if the coffee’s quality isn’t great, like if it doesn’t taste nutty and comes out too bitter.
Final Thoughts
Did you know?
Working from coffee shops is one of the little things that helped me stick with blogging on my own. Even though it can be tough and staying focused isn’t always easy, it works for me.
When I sit down and see other people working too, it gives me a sense of belonging. I catch myself thinking, “Hey, I’m not the only hustler who loves coffee and grinding it out in third spaces!”
Anyway, there are five key things I’ve done that kept me going while building my business. No matter how lonely or crazy the journey gets, those five kept me strong. One of them even pushed me to grow. If you’re curious, check out my blog post, Surviving Blogging Alone for Years.
Before you go, you might want to check out the 20+ things to consider when picking the best coffee shop to work from. This is important if, like me, you spend a lot of time in cafés working and building your business.
These tips will help you choose the most optimal spots. They don’t only boost your productivity but also save you time, effort, and money.
Thanks for reading!